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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



Qaithful [fnto ^Meath. 



A WORD OF ADMONITION TO THE 



COflpil^mED YOUTH 



-OF THE- 



EVANGELICAL CHURCH, 



s-— BY- 



Rev, <3r H/Hor*stn\ar\r\ 



EirDEisr ^-cjBLis^insra house, 

1716-1718 Chouteau Avenue, 

St. Louis, Mo. 






THE LIBRARY 0F 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 

MAR 27 1903 

Copyright Entry 

XXc No. 



CLASS (^ 

COPY B. 




6$ 
fib 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1903, 

BY A. G. TCENNIES, 

in trust for the Eden Publishing House, in the office of 
the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C. 



G^eJ&m^JcT 3 



Ho tbe memory of bis beloveo 
parents, tbe blessing of wbose 
Christian example anb precepts 
be realises more fulls as tbe 
sears pass bs, tbis little volume 
is fonblp bebicateo bs 

Gbe Hutbor. 



<^£/^^w^^\a^, 



^ 



s Certifies, ti^at 



borr\ 19 , 

l\as beer\ cor)firrr\ed ar\d admitted tr\to 
full iT[err\berst[ip of tl\e Evangelical 
C^iircl} (Evarigelical Synod of Nortl\ 

Hrr\erica) by -~ 

(Name of Church.) 

Ct[Urct\ at . 

(Location of Church.) 

on -- 19 

(Date.) 

JVLenqorial Yerse:.. 



Pastor. 



#P'REFAeE.€ 



"And these words, which I command thee this 
day, shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach 
them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk 
of them when thou sittest in thy house and when 
thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest 
down, and when thou risest up." Deut. vi. 6. 7. 

This divine injunction no doubt, more than 
anything else, has been the means of retaining 
that unique moral and religious character which 
distinguished the Hebrew wherever found from 
any other people on the face of the earth. In 
obedience to this command the Hebrew father was 
ever diligent to teach his children the way of the 
Lord. He loved to linger over the pages of his 
nation's history and to dwell upon the memorable 
deeds of its heroes. He availed himself of every 
opportunity to talk to his children of the Law of 
God and His wonderful dealings with Israel. When 
he sat in his house or walked by the way, when he 
lay down to rest or when he arose to labor, the 
one inexhaustible theme always was the Law of 
God and the wondrous ways of Jehovah. Thus 
the religious impressions were indelibly stamped 
upon the young mind and heart. 



In the New Dispensation, where Calvary is 
substituted for Sinai and the Gospel of Grace is 
proclaimed for the redemption of them that are 
under the law that they might receive the adoption 
of sons, childhood is invested with a new meaning 
and the instruction of children in the way of salva- 
tion gains a new and sacred significance. In the 
baptismal vow the parents assume the duty to 
teach their children the blessed truths of the 
Gospel. They promise to watch over the education 
of their children that they be not led astraj r ; to 
direct their youthful minds to the Holy Scriptures 
and their feet to the sanctuary; to restrain them 
from evil associates and habits, and, as much as 
in them lieth to bring them up in the nurture and 
admonition of the Lord. It is in accordance with 
this duty that many churches have retained the 
custom of giving their children a special course of 
religious instruction previous to their reception 
into the church by the rite of confirmation. 

The desirability of placing a guide, or hand- 
book, into the hands of the confirmed youth has 
ever been felt by pastors and such parents who 
were solicitous for the spiritual welfare of their 
children. Books of this kind have been published 
in the German language and have been a means 
of great blessing to many young people. The need 
of a similar book in the English language has 
become apparent, and in response to the urgent 
requests of many pastors and parents this little 
volume has been prepared. 

In the unfolding of the subject the historical 
and inductive method has been chosen as the one 



most interesting and convincing. Examples of 
Christian experience are given — in connection with 
Bible truths — and sketches from life are frequently- 
interwoven because of their freshness. The author 
has never lost sight of the fact, that he was writ- 
ing for young people with the view of bringing 
them nearer to their Master and of strengthening 
the sacred ties that unite them in spiritual fellow- 
ship with their church. 

We ask for this little volume a kind reception 
on the part of pastors and parents, and would offer 
it as a suitable gift to young people generally and 
especially in memory of the day of confirmation. 
May it be found worthy of a place with other 
religious literature in Christian homes through- 
out our land, and may it be the means of retaining 
its youthful readers faithful to their Lord and 
Savior unto death. 

In behalf of the Literary Committee, 

J. U. SCHNEIDER, Chairman. 




(© Sowing the §eed. j§> 



i. 

With the single exception of Jerusalem no 
other city occupies so important a place in the 
earliest history of Chris tianity, as does Antioch, 
the capital of the Soman province of Syria. 
True, Antioch could not boast the venerable 
age of the city of Zion nor was its name as- 
sociated with sacred memories such as made 
Jerusalem dear to every Jew from Kome to 
Babylon; but- as if in compensation for these 
deficiencies the city enjoyed material advan- 
tages and resources, which, indeed, Jerusalem 
had also enjoyed in the days of Solomon, but 
which had long since become mere memories 
with her inhabitants. For Antioch, besides 
being the headquarters for the provincial 
government, was also the centre of trade be- 
tween the East and the West. Situated near 
the mouth of the Orontes, the trading vessels of 
the Mediterranean naturally drifted into her 



— 2 — 

harbor, while her proximity to the plains 
of Mesopotamia made her the most con- 
venient market-place for the products of this 
fertile region. Antioch was thus a natural 
gathering place of the nations ; upon her streets 
and in her spacious bazars and warehouses the 
haughty Eoman and the dusky Arab, the 
swarthy Moor and the Jewish merchant, each 
with purposes and desires of his own, met and 
mingled and drove their bargains; as Kome 
had become Queen of the West, so Antioch was 
Queen of the East. The apostles of Christ 
were therefore early attracted by such a vast 
and promising field for their activity, and in 
size and importance the church there soon 
ranked next to that at Jerusalem. 

Our story opens in the year 40 A. D. The 
heat of the day had passed away and the cool- 
ness of the early evening had spread over the 
city, while the streets, only a short time ago 
nearly deserted, were thronged with people 
bent upon pleasure or business. By far the 
busiest scene was at the docks, where ships of 
every nation, gay with flags and bunting of 
every color, were anchored with their precious 
cargoes. Goods of every description lay in 
huge piles upon the wharf while hundreds of 



— 3 — 

slaves and laborers hurried to and fro among 
them. Some were unloading the ships that had 
recently arrived, transporting their cargoes to 
the store-rooms near by, others brought pack- 
ages of every size and color from the khan, or 
caravansary, close at hand. There were Bed- 
ouins in the picturesque dress of the desert, 
merchants of all nations, sailors in the cos- 
tumes peculiar to their class and crowds of 
passengers waiting for their ships to weigh 
anchor. Everybody seemed to be in a hurry, 
and the shouting of orders and the inevitable 
din of so many people made the scene one of 
noise and confusion. Occasionally there was 
a lull here and there which offered an oppor- 
tunity for a short rest or bits of conversation. 
Near the upper part of the wharf, almost under 
the massive bridge that spanned the Orontes, 
several slaves had gathered during one of these 
pauses. Pointing to a stalwart Ethiopian 
standing in the doorway of the store-room with 
others of his color, one of them, a tall angular 
Hebrew, sneeringly remarked: "Kajah is preach- 
ing his new faith again." 

"Has he joined the chorus in the temple 
of Diana ?" laughed one of the group. 

"Perhaps the dancers of Apollo have made 
him one of their number," jeered another. 



— 4 — 

"Let us make him tell us all about it," 
proposed a third. 

Just then, however, Eajah was called into 
the warehouse. "Eajah believes in a god that 
was nailed to a cross," said Mizrah, for such 
was the Hebrew's name. A load of goods 
brought to the wharf at that moment, to be 
loaded into one of the vessels cut short the 
conversation here and the group scattered to 
their work. 

"How did your god come to be nailed to a 
cross," said one of them a little later as he met 
Eajah upon the wharf, "and did he ever get 
down again ?" 

Before Eajah could answer a great heavy 
box that had been insecurely placed upon a 
pile of other goods came down with a crash, 
scattering its contents over the wharf. In- 
stantly the overseer was on the spot. 

"Which of you knaves placed such a heavy 
box up so high ?" he asked angrily. 

"There is the fool!" cried Mizrah pointing 
to Eajah; "I told him to leave it on the floor, 
but he would show his muscle." 

"Take that, fool of a slave !" cried the over- 
seer as his whip hissed through the air inflict- 
ing an ugly ga^h upon the bare back of the 
Ethiopian. 



— 5 — 

For an instant a fierce light shone in Kajah's 
eyes as they glared upon the Hebrew, who, 
fearing for his safety, drew back into the crowd; 
but as if suddenly remembering something, 
the Ethiopian's look softened and he turned to 
resume his labors, while Mizrah, glad of his 
escape, kept well out of Hajari's reach for the 
rest of the day. 

"Dog of a Hebrew/' said a blue-eyed Teuton 
giant, "I saw him place that box himself from 
where it fell. In the land of my fathers he 
would be banished to the forest for his lying 
tongue." 

"Why did you not give the lying dog what 
he deserved," said another, "you surely were 
not afraid of him ?" 

"Come to the wharf below the bridge to- 
morrow after dark and you shall see," was 
Eajah's answer. 

II. 

Ever since the conquest of Juda by the 
Syrians many Jews had taken up their residence 
in Antioch, for, under the powerful patronage 
of the Syrian kings, that city offered more and 
greater opportunities of profit in all the trades 
and walks of life than could Jerusalem or the 



— 6 — 

other cities of Juda. For this reason thou- 
sands of Jews had taken their way northward 
through the deserts and mountainous countries 
intervening, and settled in the new land. Many 
of these had given up every thing that once 
distinguished them from their heathen neigh- 
bors and had become lost among the different 
races that inhabited Antioch and the surround- 
ing country, Syrians, Greeks, Babylonians and 
Phenicians, but by far the greater part had 
at least outwardly maintained the traditions 
and faith of their ancestors. In order to exer- 
cise their faith more freely they had gathered 
in a certain part of the city, as is customary 
with the foreign populations of all our great 
cities even to-day. In this part of Antioch there 
was at the intersection of two of the principal 
streets a large open space, paved with broad 
rough flags and surrounded by booths and 
bazars of all kinds and sizes. During the 
earlier part of the day this place was the mar- 
ket for the inhabitants of the Jewish quarter. 
There the peasants from the surrounding 
country gathered, their donkeys laden with all 
kinds of fruits and garden products; traders 
and venders of every description offered wine, 
jewelry, birds, cattle, in short everything that 



any one might desire, for sale. Later in the day 
the place became a general gathering place for 
the Jewish population. In the cool of the 
evening the people were wont to leave the nar- 
row crooked streets and their low darkened 
houses and swarm forth to the market place; 
the gossip of the day was exchanged, important 
news was discussed and a sort of informal 
neighborhood meeting held. 

On this particular evening the place seemed 
to be more than usually alive with people and 
still they came, men and women, by twos and 
threes from the adjoining streets and by-ways. 
From one of the more pretentious thoroughfares 
two persons approached, whose coming seemed 
to excite the especial interest of the people, and 
both of them were, indeed, of a striking appear- 
ance. The one, tall and well proportioned, was 
clad in garments that indicated wealth and high 
social position. Beneath a richly ornamented 
turban appeared a high forehead, surmounting 
features of uncommon regularity, whose natur- 
ally dignified though benevolent expression was 
brought out still more by a long flowing well 
kept beard. His companion differed from him 
in almost every particular. He was somewhat 
smaller, his form was emaciated and angular, 



while his face, covered with a short irregular 
growth of beard, showed plainly the traces of 
suffering. His dress was that of the humbler 
classes, an u&bleached, undyed blanket crossed 
over one shoulder and girt around the waist; in 
his garment there was plainly visible, however, 
the wide hem and the deep fringe that pro- 
claimed the Pharisee. What was most striking 
in his appearance was, however, the unusual 
light that shone from his bright black eyes 
deeply set under a forehead high and broad 
and domelike that could conceal none but a 
master mind. The two companions were alike 
only in the unmistakable Hebrew countenance 
and complexion and the thoughtful manner of 
their conversation. 

"The peace of Jehovah be with you, my 
brethren," said the taller of the two as he 
approached. 

"The peace of Jehovah be with thee, 
Joseph," answered a venerable old man, "we 
are glad to see thee safely returned." 

Joseph led his companion, who seemed to 
be a stranger, toward the entrance of one of 
the nearby bazars. From the slight elevation 
which this afforded, the stranger at once ad- 
dressed the gathering in their native tongue. 



"Brethren of Israel," he said, "I greet you 
in the name of Jehovah." With these few simple 
words he gained at once the frill attention of ail 
who were gathered there. 

"The God of our fathers," he continued, 
"has sent me with a message to His people 
scattered among the nations of the earth. It 
is not need for me to speak to you of Him, ye 
know His law and ye know His mighty deeds. 
Let me then speak of myself that ye may judge 
the message. 

"I am a citizen of Tarsus of Cilicia, a Phari- 
see and the son of a Pharisee. I have sat at the 
feet of the masters at Jerusalem, Gamaliel the 
wise and the leaders of the Sanhedrin accord- 
ing to the strict manner of the fathers, being 
zealous for God even as ye all are this day. 

"There was a man in Nazareth of Galilee, 
who called Himself the anointed of the Lord, 
sent, as He said, to preach good tidings to the 
meek, to bind up the brokenhearted and to pro- 
claim the year of Jehovah's favor. He spake 
as a prophet sent by Jehovah ; by His hand the 
blind received their sight, the dead were raised 
up, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard 
and the poor had good tidings preached unto 
them, and many there were, who believed Him 
to be the Messiah, the Son of God. 



— 10 — 

"But the high-priests and the elders of the 
people, the scribes and the pharisees did not 
so believe, and, that He might no longer stir up 
and pervert the nation they delivered Him unto 
the Gentiles to be crucified because He had 
blasphemed and made Himself the Son of God. 

"Then His disciples claimed that He rose 
from the dead on the third day and appeared to 
them in Jerusalem and Galilee, and they went 
about preaching Him crucified and risen. 

"For this the high-priests and the elders of 
the people beat them and put them into prison, 
that they should not speak in the name of 
Jesus. 

"In those days there was a man named 
Stephen, who was a follower of Jesus and 
wrought great wonders and signs among the 
people. And the wise men of the synagogues, 
those of Cilicia and Asia, the Alexandrians and 
Cyrenians and Libertines, disputed with him. 
Then they brought him before the council 
and for his blasphemous words he was cast 
from the city and stoned. I rejoiced in his 
death, and laid waste the church, entering into 
every house and dragging forth men and 
women who believed on Jesus, committed them 
to prison." 



— 11 — 

The speaker paused and glanced around at 
his audience as if .to study their faces and learn 
how his words had been received. There was 
open admiration in many of the eyes that met 
his own, while others moved uneasily as they 
looked into the piercing eyes before them. 

The pause was only momentary, however, 
and while his hearers awaited the next words 
of the speaker in breathless silence he con- 
tinued : 

"Ye know, my brethren, how Jehovah 
promised unto David that His mercy should 
not depart from him and that the throne of 
his kingdom should be established forever. 
Our prophets have beheld in their visions the 
Messiah, and His everlasting kingdom, and our 
poets have sung of His majesty and glory. In 
the night of our nation's troubles the Star out 
of Jacob hath been our hope and the Shoot 
out of the stock of Jesse our comfort. 

"As our fathers, so have we also hoped and 
waited for the fulfillment of the promise, and 
yet we are laughed to scorn and despised by 
the Gentiles. 

"But rejoice, Israel, and be exceeding 
glad, for your warfare is accomplished and your 
iniquity is pardoned, no more shall the Gentile 



— 12 — 

shake his head and hiss because the glory is 
departed from Juda. 

"The anointed of the Lord is come and in 
the fullness of time Jehovah has visited and 
redeemed His people. 

"He has raised unto David a righteous 
Branch as He spake to our fathers by the mouth 
of His holy prophets, that we, being delivered 
out of the hand of our enemies, might serve 
Him without fear in holiness and righteousness 
before Him all our days. 

"For know ye, my brethren, the carpenter's 
son of Nazareth is the Son of God, the King 
of Israel !" 

III. 

A mighty wave of excitement moved the 
gathering as these words, so different from any 
that had been expected, fell from the speaker's 
lips. Anger, scorn, hate, doubt, relief, ap- 
proval, all the emotions felt by those present 
seemed to mingle into one great outcry that 
threatened for the moment to end the meeting 
in confusion and riot. 

Paul, the apostle of Christianity — for as the 
reader will know by this time, the speaker was 
none other than he — calmly surveyed the mul- 



— 13 — 

titude. In the midst of the excitement and 
uproar he stretched out his hand with a com- 
manding gesture, the strange light again 
gleamed from those bright, black eyes, and so 
great was the power of that simple look and 
gesture that the tumult ceased almost imme- 
diately and quiet was gradually restored. 

As the excitement subsided a shrill voice 
from the audience broke forth : "If -the carpen- 
ter's son is the Messiah and the eternal King of 
Israel, didst thou hope to please Jehovah by 
persecuting His followers?" 

"Thou hast a right to question thus," said 
the speaker, "hear my answer and judge, 
brethren of Israel. 

"I verily thought that I ought to do many 
things contrary to the name of Jesus of Naza- 
reth; having received authority from the chief 
priests. I punished His followers oftentimes 
in all the synagogues and strove to make them 
blaspheme, and persecuted them even unto 
foreign cities. I did shut up many of them in 
prison and when they were put to death I gave 
my vote against them. 

"Whereupon, as I journeyed to Damascus, 
at midday, I saw a light from heaven, above 
the brightness of the sun, shining round about 
me. 



— 14 — 

"I fell to the ground and a voice spake to me 
in the Hebrew language: 'Saul, Saul, why 
persecutest thou Me V 

"I answered : 'Who art Thou, Lord V and 
He said: 'I am Jesus whom thou persecutest V 

" 'What shall I do, Lord/ I answered ; 
and He said : 'arise and enter into the city and 
it shall be told thee, what thou must do/ 

"And when I arose and opened my eyes I 
saw nothing; and they led me by the hand into 
Damascus and I was three days without sight 
and did neither eat nor drink. 

"And one, Ananias, a devout man, came 
unto me and said: 'Brother Saul, receive thy 
sight V And that very hour I looked up on him. 
And he said : 'The God of our fathers hath ap- 
pointed thee to know His will and to see the 
Eighteous One and be a witness for Him unto 
all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And 
now arise and be baptized and wash away thy 
sins/ " 

The apostle paused. The memory of the 
experiences through which he had passed had 
visibly moved him and frequently he had only 
with difficulty controlled his emotions. 

"Thus," he continued at length, "I came 
from darkness into light, and J praise God with 



— 15 — 

all my heart that His grace in Christ Jesus 
hath opened mine eyes. 

"And now, my brethren, I am come to 
preach to you the Gospel of Christ and salva- 
tion, and I am not ashamed of it. The salva- 
tion is to every one that believeth, the Jew first 
and also the Gentile. 

"We call ourselves Jews, my brethren, and 
Jehovah's people. Who is a Jew? Not he that 
is one outwardly in the letter, but he is a Jew 
that is one inwardly in the spirit. We have the 
law; yea, and the law is good; but we are not 
justified by the law, rather are we all under the 
curse of the law, for it is written: 'Cursed be 
he that confirmeth not the words of the law 
to do them/ and: 'There is none righteous, 
not one, they have all turned aside, there is 
none that doeth good, no, not so much as one/ 
Therefore, by the law there is no flesh justified 
in the sight of God, for through the law cometh 
the knowledge of sin. 

"Know ye not the words of the prophet:. 
'The righteous shall live by faith/ even as; 
Abraham was justified? Before the law was 
given, Abraham believed in Jehovah and He 
reckoned it to him fef righteousii^s. There- 
fore those are the true children of Abraham 



— 16 — 

that are of the faith. And it is written that 
Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid 
and one by the freewoman; the son of the hand- 
maid is born after the flesh, but the son of the 
freewoman is born through promise. 

"Now we, brethren, are children of the pro- 
mise, as Isaac was. As long as the heir is a 
child, he is under guardians and stewards; so 
we were held in bondage until in the fullness 
of time God sent forth His Son, born of a 
woman and under the law, that we might re- 
ceive the adoption of sons." 

"Thou speakest well," a voice from the audi- 
ence again broke in, "but doth not Jeremiah 
say, that 'unto David shall be raised a righteous 
Branch, and He shall reign as a King and deal 
wisely and execute justice and righteousness 
in the land' and that Muda shall be saved and 
Israel dwell safely?' Instead of occupying a 
throne the carpenter's son was raised to a 
cross !" 

"What of the words of Daniel," spoke up 
another, almost at the apostle's elbow, an 
elderly man in the garb of a Eabbi, "he saw one 
as a son of man come with the clouds of heaven 
and dominion and kingdom and glory was 
given Him; that all the peoples and nations 



— 17 — 

and languages should serve Him. Behold, 
Israel is yet in bondage and the followers of 
the Nazarene are found only among the lowly 
and the humble." 

"Forget not, my brethren," answered the 
apostle, "that the thoughts of Jehovah are not 
our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. Jesus of 
Nazareth, the Christ of God, is indeed a King 
and His a Kingdom and a glory above any of 
the world. His Kingdom is not of this world, 
though it is in it; it is not a kingdom of provin- 
ces or of the power of legions, it is for immortal 
souls. Be not ashamed of the humility of the 
Christ nor of the death He has suffered, for in 
His death He has gained greater victory than 
ever did Caesar's legions. 

"Doth not Isaiah say of Him : 'He was de- 
spised and rejected of men; as one from whom 
men hide their face He was despised; and we 
esteemed Him not/ 

" 'But He hath borne our griefs and carried 
our sorrows; He was wounded for our trans- 
gressions and bruised for our iniquities and 
with His stripes are we healed. He was as a 
lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep 
before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not 
His mouth. Therefore will His portion be with 



— 18 — 

the great, because He has poured out His soul 
unto death and bare the sin of many/ and 
made intercession for the transgressors/ 

"Thus was God in Christ, my brethren, 
reconciling the world unto Himself and not 
reckoning unto them their trespasses; and I 
beseech you, my brethren, be ye reconciled to 
God! Has He not made Him who knew no sin 
to be sin on our behalf, that we might become 
the righteousness of God in Him ! 

"0, my brethren of Israel! If the blood 
of goats and bulls and the ashes of an heifer 
sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh, how 
much more shall the blood of Christ, who 
offered Himself without blemish unto God, 
cleanse your conscience from dead works to 
serve the living God ! 

"And for this His boundless love I give my- 
self with all my heart, with all my soul and with 
all my mind to the service of God and Christ! 
Hath He loved us so that He spared not His 
own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, who 
shall condemn the faithful ? Neither persecu- 
tion nor famine nor peril, neither things pre- 
sent nor things to come shall separate me from 
the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our 
Lord! 



— 19 — 

"I have said, my brethren, and may the 
love of God the father and the grace of the 
Lord Jesus the Christ be with you." 



IV. 

The shadows of evening had already 
deepened before the massive doors of the ware- 
houses at the wharf had been closed for the 
night; the slaves had departed singly and in 
groups to their humble quarters and by the 
time the stillness of night had settled over the 
city there was nothing about the wharf to 
suggest the busy scene of the day, except the 
great hulls of the vessels looming up out of 
the darkness, with here and there a light to 
show the presence of watchmen. 

Had the few pedestrians who crossed the 
great bridge after nightfall cared to stop and 
listen, they could have heard muffled sounds 
upon the heavy woodwork of the wharf, while 
an eye accustomed to the gloom could have 
distinguished a number of straggling shadowy 
forms gliding through the darkness. 

The wharf ended at the bridge but projected 
far enough under it to furnish access to an 
opening, half door, half window, that had been 



- 20 — 

left in the solid masonry of the wall. This 
opening furnished the only means of access to 
a large cave-like apartment that extended for 
a considerable distance under the abutment to 
the bridge. 

On both sides of this room were piled up 
great masses of all kinds of material for fitting 
out and repairing ships. The rear part of the 
room had been cleared, however, and was now 
occupied by a score or more of persons who 
were gathered around the smoky, flickering 
glare of a torch by which the room was lighted. 
Eight under the light could be seen the features 
of the Ethiopian and the two giants from the 
Ehine as well as those of Paul, the teacher of 
Christianity. All appeared to be engaged in 
earnest conversation. 

"I cannot understand it," one of the group 
was saying. "Had I been in Kajah's place, 
Mizrah would have paid dearly for his mean- 
ness and his cowardice. Why has he a strong 
right arm, if not to deal revenge to the offen- 
der?" 

"I thought of Christ," said Eajah, "who 
bore patiently the reviling of His enemies and 
had no thought of vengeance." 

"I would think more of your god," said 



— 21 — 

Otho, one of the Teuton giants, "if he had 
sent his thunderbolt to punish the Eoman 
coward, who permitted an innocent man to be 
crucified. Had I been there with my brethren 
of the forest, not a whole head would be left 
of the villains!" 

"How could I blame thee for thy thoughts," 
said Paul, "thou speakest as thy fathers taught 
thee. Even the law of Israel saith: 'An eye 
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth/ But the 
Christ has come and fulfilled the law and shown 
us the love of God. Love can do no harm and 
so He said: 'Love your enemies and do good 
to them that hate you, then you will be children 
of your Father who is in heaven/ If thine 
enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him 
drink; then you shall heap coals of fire on his 
head and overcome evil with good." 

While this conversation was going on, 
several other men and women had entered 
almost noiselessly, each one carefully replacing 
the heavy curtain which concealed the light 
inside. 

Among the last to enter was a woman, an 
Egyptian, as her garment and headdress in- 
dicated. At first she advanced hesitatingly 
toward the small group of women already there, 



— 22 — 

as if to join them, but suddenly stopped and 
with gestures of despair threw herself to the 
ground sobbing piteously. 

Several of the women were at her side 
almost instantly to comfort her and soothe her 
troubled spirit. But she only wailed the louder, 
tearing her hair and throwing dust upon her 
head in the anguish of her heart. 

"Leave me !" she cried, "I have fallen ! Do 
not come near me! I am unworthy of your 
sympathy and your love !" 

While all eyes were turned upon the woman 
who continued to wail and sob in her despair, 
the apostle arose and walked toward her. 
"Woman/* he said firmly, "Confess your trans- 
gression that the peace of God may enter your 
heart." 

"I am not worthy ! I am not worthy !" she 
moaned. "My transgression is too great to be 
forgiven !" 

"Fear not, my daughter," answered he, "the 
grace of our Lord and Savior is mightier than 
sin, and His love can make you clean." 

"I have betraj^ed, I have denied the Christ !" 
sobbed the woman, "I have part with Him no 
longer !" 

"Though thou hadst denied Him thrice," 



— 23 — 

said the apostle, "He will not deny thee, if only 
thy heart is repentant and thou wilt trust His 
grace. Is not the Son of Man come to seek and 
to save that which is lost ? Doth He not leave 
even the ninety and nine in the wilderness to 
go after the one sheep that is lost ?" 

"I have wept and suffered since that miser- 
able day of my denial," said the woman, "if the 
Christ can give peace again to my. spirit, His 
praises shall be ever upon my lips, and the poor 
and the suffering among the brethren shall 
never be in want." 

There was silence in the room as the woman 
paused; her head was bowed and she was weep- 
ing still, but more softly, as if the mere hope of 
comfort had already stilled her violent emo- 
tions. They had placed her upon one of the 
rude stools that stood about the room and after 
a few moments she began again: 

"Ye know that I am Nydia, the wife of Ar- 
taces. He is stern and hard and faithful to the 
worship of his fathers, even as I had been until 
the story of the Christ took hold on me. 

"When Art aces found that I had lent a 
willing ear to the words of the Galilaean, his 
wrath was great. By all the gods and sacred 
beasts of Egypt he cursed the day that I had 



.— 24 — 

heard the story of the Christ and him who told 
me; he swore by Isis that he would divorce me 
if I ever visited your gatherings again. In vain 
were all my tears and my entreaties, they only 
roused him more. 

"Therefore I came not to your gatherings. 
I knew not what to do. I could not forget what 
I had heard from you and still I found no peace 
therein; I longed to be with you, I longed to 
know if he would keep his fearful oath. I feared 
the thoughts and sorrows of my heart would 
make me ill, and though I longed for death, the 
thought of it did frighten me. 

"One day there came a thought that 
promised peace. I thought of Isis, the splen- 
dors of her temple and the oracle within its 
sacred shrine. At the appointed time I brought 
my gift and offering. The priest, as he received 
them, said : 'The boons of Isis are for the faith- 
ful only; dost thou renounce the Nazarene and 
all His teachings, then curse the day thou 
heardst His name and him that spake of it to 
thee/ And I, intent upon my sorrows and 
agony of mind, and on the peace I hoped for, 
did as he bade me." 

"0 Christ, forgive her," moaned one of the 
women, "she knew not what she did!" 



— 25 — 

"Amen! Amen!" echoed the others. 

"How sweet the sound of prayer/' sobbed 
Nydia, again overcome by her emotions, "none 
have prayed for me in the days of my suffering, 
and since that wretched day I could not. But- 
let me end." 

At that instant a great tumult and the 
sound of many voices was heard outside. 

"We have trapped the birds nicely," shouted 
one, "let none escape !" 

"The blasphemous hypocrites!" cried a 
shrill voice, "let us see what their crucified god 
can do !" 

At the first alarm the light inside had been 
put out and Eajah with Otho and his compan- 
ion Dodan and several others at once hurried to 
the opening to prevent, if possible, any one 
from entering. 

They were none too soon, for some of the 
ruffians were already in the doorway and would 
certainly have entered but for the darkness. 
Eajah endeavored to close the heavy door on 
the intruders, but without success, and pres- 
ently found himself in the midst of a fierce 
combat. 

With the help of his two giant companions, 
however, he forced the assailants back through 



— 26 — 

the door and out upon the wharf. There, by the 
pale light of the moon just rising above the 
housetops, he found himself suddenly face to 
face with Mizrah ! 

"Defend thyself!" hissed the Hebrew, 
making a savage bound for the Ethiopian. His 
knife gleamed in the air and, but for the strong 
arm of Otho, — who, quick as a flash, grasped 
the descending arm from below, — would have 
been buried in Kajah's breast. 

As it was, the blade missed its aim, but 
Eajah, stepping back to avoid the fierce Mizrah, 
came too near the edge of the wharf and losing 
his balance, fell with a mighty splash into the 
muddy water below. 



V. 

The dwelling houses of Antioch were built 
after the peculiar manner followed in Eastern 
cities even unto this day. Most of them were 
square, or nearly so, one or two stories high and 
built around an open court, from which light 
and air was supplied to the different rooms. All 
of the rooms opened toward the court and upon 
high broad porches, shaded by great awn- 
ings during the daytime. The walls of the 



— 27 — 

buildings were constructed of solid masonry, 
often two to three feet thick, to keep out the 
fierce heat of the Eastern summer and contained 
very few openings of any kind. The roofs were 
generally flat and arranged to serve as a general 
family resort after the sun had sunk below the 
horizon. 

Some days after the meeting in the market- 
place we might have found a mother and her 
daughter in a comfortably furnished room of 
one of the larger dwellings in the Jewish 
quarter. The mother, an elderly woman, well 
dressed, was reclining upon a divan, a letter, 
the seal of which was broken, in her hand; 
at her elbow, seated on a low stool, was the 
daughter, a slender girlish figure, her face buried 
in her hands and resting on the divan which 
her mother occupied. 

"Be comforted, my Miriam," the mother 
was saying while she gently stroked her daugh- 
ter's rich black hair, "thy mother shares thy 
sorrow. Though His ways are often strange, 
Jehovah is wise and good, and what He does is 
well." 

"0 mother !" sobbed the girl, "I cannot bear 
it! 0, were I dead!" 

"When the message of thy father's death at 



— 28 — 

sea was brought to me I thought that I could 
live no longer; my life seemed dark and hope- 
less and I wished to die. Though sorrowing 
still, I am contented with Jehovah's ways. 
Thou art young and wilt survive the sorrow 
and the wrong that has been done thee." 

A servant here entered the room. "The 
good Joseph waiteth at the door," she an- 
nounced. 

"We shall be glad to see him," said the 
woman, "let him in at once." 

"Thou comest as a friend in need, my broth- 
er," she said a moment later, as he, whom we 
have met as the companion of the apostle, 
entered the apartment. Seating himself upon 
the divan which the servant brought, Joseph 
glanced questioningly at his sister and the 
weeping girl beside her. "Thou hast another 
sorrow Esther," he said, "and Miriam is weep- 
ing?" 

"Go, Miriam," said the mother, "and fetch 
us the bread and wine." 

When Miriam had left the room her mother 
said : "Listen, my brother, and I will read thee 
a letter I received this morning," and without 
waiting for a reply she began to read : 



— 29 — 

Eighth month, 15 th day. 

On the road to Damascus. 

When you read this letter, I shall have left 
the city on very important business at Damas- 
cus. I know not when I shall return. I have 
been told that Miriam has joined the false and 
blasphemous sect of the Nazarene. If this be 
so, she cannot be the wife of Eleazar,who is true 
to the faith of his fathers. A messenger of 
yours may find me at the house of Judah in 
Damascus. 

In haste, 

Eleazar. 

"Only a month ago I met him in Damascus 
at the house of Judah," said Joseph, "but little 
did I think that he would thus afflict those who 
had been friends unto his father ere he was 
born." 

"It was their fathers' dearest wish, that 
they, their only children, should perpetuate 
their name and their estate," said Esther, "and 
now, — not yet a year is passed since both have 
perished in the stormy sea, — he rudely breaks 
what should have been a sacred trust to him." 

"If his heart is not in the trust/' said 
Joseph, "it is better broken than kept." 



— 30 — 

Miriam here re-entered the room bearing 
a tray with two cups of wine and several slices 
of honeyed bread. When she had passed them 
around her mother said: "Thou hast not 
brought a cup of wine for thee, my daughter ?" 

"Nay, mother, I could not eat or drink when 
my heart f asteth in its sorrow." 

"I pity thee," said Joseph, "that thou 
shouldst bear so hard a burden now, but do 
not doubt that all is well and for thy good." 

"If Eleazar cared not more for thee than 
to forsake thee thus, thou might'st be glad of 
thy escape. Our fortune does not compare with 
what the daughters of Judah of Damascus will 
inherit." 

"Nay, mother, speak not so, I cannot hear 
it; do not judge him harshly, mother. Because 
our f ather's death had filled my heart with sor- 
row, he may have thought I cared not for him." 

"He should have honored thy grief so much 
the more because of sorrow for his own dead. 
He felt the guilt upon his conscience, else he 
would have come himself." 

Miriam said nothing, but busied herself 
with gathering up the remains of the repast 
and left the room. 

"She suffers much already, Esther," said 



— 31 — 

Joseph, "do not make her suffer more. I shall 
bring Saul of Tarsus that he may speak to 
Miriam. He will know how to help her bear 
her sorrow. The spirit of Jehovah is mighty 
in him." 

"I have heard him speak in the market- 
place/' said Esther, "he shall be always welcome 
here. — How didst thou come to be with him?" 

"I met him at Jerusalem," answered Joseph, 
"but Ananias of Damascus had spoken to me of 
him before, of how he had been converted by the 
Lord Himself ; how he himself was called to see 
him and in the power of the Lord restored his 
sight. I shall tell thee all some day. 

"You know that I was here last year, ex- 
horting those whom I found believing in the 
Christ. From here I went to Tarsus, chiefly to 
get Saul to come to Antioch and preach the 
name of Jesus. I am glad that he is come and 
I am sure that many people will be added unto 
the Lord." 

"How long wilt thou be with us, Joseph ?" 

"I cannot say, Esther. I forgot to tell thee 
that my name is Joseph no longer. It is the 
custom with the brethren at Jerusalem to 
change their name when they receive the 
Christ, and thus the apostles have changed 
mine to Barnabas, or 'son of exhortation/ " 



— 32 — 

"How couldst thou change the name thy 
father gave thee!" answered Esther, as if re- 
proving him. "I for one shall always call thee 
Joseph, as of old." 

"I will not chide thee, if thou dost, for 
happy memories' sake. The name was dear to 
me and I only gave it as a sign that all I have 
I give for Christ. — Hast thou heard the news," 
he continued, changing the subject, "The rabbi 
Ezekiel has promised Saul that he might preach 
in the synagogue upon the Sabbath." 

"That is good tidings, verily. No doubt 
Saul's answer in the market-place opened his 
eyes to see the truth. 0, that Simeon had 
lived to see the word of Christ spread over the 
lands ! It was the one gladness of his heart." 

"Be sure, Esther, that he sees it now 
much better than he could have known it here. 
— But fare thee well ! my duty calls." 

"If thou must go, fare well. Do not forget 
thy home is here as long as thou remainst in 
Antioch." 

VI. 

Near the end of the great bridge and about 
a five minutes' walk from the wharf was a cara- 
vansary, or khan, as these places were called at 



— 33 — 

the time. There were a score or more of them 
in different parts of the city, great hostleries, 
built for the accommodation of the numerous 
caravans that traveled between Antioch and 
points in the interior. At one end of the en- 
closure were a number of stalls for the donkeys 
or camels of which the caravans were chiefly 
composed, while the elephants that occasion- 
ally brought costly silks and spices from the 
region beyond the Indus were chained to stout 
posts in the large open space in front. Along 
one side of the spacious yard were ranged lodg- 
ings for the merchants who traveled with the 
caravans, and huts or tents for the drivers and 
slaves who attended them, while a high stone 
wall formed the other boundary. 

Because of its proximity to the river this 
particular khan was the usual resort of such 
caravans whose cargoes were to be reloaded into 
ships for Ephesus, Corinth, Eome and other 
"Western cities. 

During the night following the meeting of 
the Christians under the bridge a drove of pack 
mules, heavily laden with rugs and tapestries 
from Armenia, had arrived, and a little later a 
procession of elephants with their costly 
burdens. 



— 34 — 

Early the following morning, therefore, 
the place presented a very busy scene. At the 
news of the arrival of the caravan the mer- 
chants had hurried to the khan and were in- 
specting the goods and driving bargains with 
the owners; slaves were unloading the goods 
and taking them to their proper store-rooms; 
and drivers and attendants were feeding their 
animals or taking them to their respective 
stalls. 

Among the many slaves at work there we 
find Eajah receiving the ponderous boxes and 
packages which Indian slaves were unloading 
from the back of one of the elephants. He 
showed no sign of his adventure and to all 
appearances thought only of his work; his two 
companions, Otho and Dodan, were engaged in 
carrying the goods to- the river front. The 
morning air was crisp and all entered briskly 
into their labors. 

Off to one side was Joseph talking with a 
group of merchants and taking notes upon his 
tablet. 

"Very nearly thy cargo had been lost," one 
of them was saying; "as we were resting for the 
night among the wilds of Taurus, a horde of 
bandits broke upon us and would have killed 



35 — 



and plundered us. It was well for us that we 
had weapons and knew how to use them. One 
of the slaves was slain, however, but the rogues 
were beaten back and we had no more trouble." 

"Who was the slave?" asked Joseph 
anxiously. 

"Jonah, from Cyprus," was the answer. 

"This year would have made him free," said 
Joseph sadly; "his mother is .a widow and it 
will be sad news for her. But she shall not 
suffer, he died doing his duty." 

"He was brave and faithful and we buried 
him with honor," said the other. 

As the load was by this time disposed of, the 
animal was taken to its stall, and Joseph and 
his companions walked over to another part of 
the yard. 

"Mizrah is here also," Otho said a few 
moments later to Eajah, who was helping him 
lift a great bundle upon his massive shoulders, 
: 'thou hadst best be on thy guard." 

"I have not seen him," said Eajah, "where 
is he ?" 

"He came up from the wharf a moment ago 
and was put to work unloading the elephant 
next to this one. I like it not, he may do to- 
day what he could not yesterday. Be watch- 
ful!" 



— 36 — 

"I fear him not," said Kajah, "he dares not 
harm me here." 

Eajah would not have felt so sure of his 
safety, however, if he had seen, the wicked leer 
on Mizrah's face as he peered cautiously around 
the rear of the elephant after Otho had de- 
parted again for the wharf. 

All the goods had by this time been re- 
moved from the elephants back and the driver 
was making preparations to unload another 
one of the beasts some distance away. Kajah 
was kneeling upon the ground gathering the 
smaller parcels into a great basket by his side. 

Busy with his work he did not see Mizrah 
stealthily approaching with the sharply pointed 
iron rod, by means of which the driver con- 
trolled and guided the elephants. Mizrah 
crawled along the ground just before the 
beast's fore feet, the rod poised in one hand, 
ready to bury it in the back of his victim. 

Suddenly the elephant, with a snort of pain, 
rushed forward. By a careless move of his arm 
Mizrah had pricked the beast's hide with the 
rod, thus causing him to start forward. Un- 
able to escape quick enough, Mizrah was caught 
under the ponderous foot of the huge beast and 
pinioned to the ground, 



— 37 — 

At the first sound of alarm Rajah jumped 
up to look for the cause of the trouble. Seeing 
Mizrah under the elephant's foot he quickly 
seized the rod which Mizrah had dropped and 
endeavored to make the beast move one way or 
another, so as to free Mizrah. The enraged ani- 
mal taking Rajah for its enemy, seized him at 
once with its powerful trunk and hurled him to 
the ground with tremendous force. 

All this happened so quickly that the 
driver had no time to prevent the accident. 
Hurrying to the spot he could only quiet the 
beast and prevent further trouble. 

A crowd of merchants and attendants im- 
mediately gathered, among them Joseph and 
Amonides, the proprietor of the khan. 

"Whose are the slaves?" asked Joseph. 

"The Ethiopian belongs to Artaces, the 
Egyptian," spoke up Dodan, "I know not whose 
the other one may be." 

"It is Mizrah, the slave of Eleazar, the Jew," 
said another. 

"Eleazar is in Damascus, as I happen to 
know," said Joseph. Turning to Amonides he 
continued : 

"Take him into the tent yonder and see if 
he may be saved !" 



— 38 — 

"Artaees is here somewhere," said Amon- 
ides, "I spoke to him but a moment ago. Here 
he is now," he added, as a tall, dark complected 
man with hard, forbidding features made his 
way through the crowd. 

"Is that thy slave?" said Joseph, pointing 
to the form of Eajah. 

"He was my slave while he was of use," 
said Artaees coldly, when he had heard what 
had happened. "He is of no use now and is 
only a Christian dog after all." Then he 
turned and went his way. 

"Heartless wretch !" said Joseph to himself, 
"See that the two are taken care of," he said 
to AmonideSj "thou shalt not go unrewarded, 
there is yet life in both." 

At the order of Amonides two sturdy slaves 
at once took up Mizrah's crushed and bleeding 
body and carried it to the tent where they laid 
it upon a rude bed of straw. They then re- 
turned for Eajah, who appeared to be dead 
already; blood was oozing from a deep wound 
in his head, caused by the fall upon the rough 
rocks with which the yard was paved. 

Joseph followed them and knelt down at 
Kajah's side, as he lay there quietly, his eyes 
closed as if asleep, and laid his hand upon the 
black and bloody forehead. 



— 39 — 

Slowly the eyes opened at the touch and 
rested gratefully on Joseph's kindly face. Then 
his lips opened and he said quite distinctly: 
"Love your enemies and do good unto them that 
hate you and you shall be children of your 
father in heaven." 

Slowly and faintly the last words had been 
uttered; a quiver passed through the giant 
frame, a wild fearful look came into his eyes, 
then — "0 Christ, in Thy hands," — that was all. 
The look softened, a peaceful, even happy ex- 
pression spread over his features, and his eyes 
closed in the sleep that knows no waking. 

Silently Joseph had watched the dying man 
and listened to his last feeble utterance. In the 
gladness of his heart for the soul that had 
found rest, he had almost forgotten where he 
was. He was awakened from his reverie by 
loud moans behind him. Turning he found 
Mizrah writhing in agony and moaning 
piteously. 

Arising and going to his side he asked 
kindly: "Has thy pain increased ?" then bend- 
ing over him he took the rough hand in his 
ow r n; "Peace be with you," he said softly. 

Mizrah stared. In all the years of slavery 
he had not been spoken to in such tones. The 



— 40 — 

gentle touch of Joseph's hand and the kindly 
pitying look in his eyes was not without effect. 

"Thou art an Israelite," he said at length, 
"and mayst understand me." — "Must not the 
Jew hate the Gentile?" he asked. "The Jew 
hath the Promise, the Gentile is godless. And 
when the Gentile takes the Promise and casts 
the pearl before the swine, must not the Jew 
hate doubly? And when the Gentile holds a 
crucified blasphemer to be the Son of God, is 
not to hate and to revenge the Jew's most 
sacred duty?" 

He had tried to raise himself to a sitting 
posture, but sank back again upon the straw, 
exhausted by his effort. 

"Thou must not speak so much," said 
Joseph, "thou must rest and be quiet. I have 
sent my servant for ointment and the wine, 
that will strengthen thee and then I shall speak 
to thee." 

In a few moments the servant entered and 
handed Joseph a flask of wine and the oint- 
ment. Mizrah drank eagerly. "It is the best 
that Cyprus affords," Joseph added. 

As Mizrah complained of severe pain in his 
side and back, Joseph set about ascertaining 
the nature of his injuries. He saw at once that 



— 41 — 

there was little hope for the man's recovery 
and quickly dressed the wounds and bruises 
with the ointment. 

Then he sat down at the bedside and said: 
"Listen to me, my brother." He spoke to him 
long and earnestly about the hope of Israel, the 
fulfillment of the promise in Christ, His words 
and deeds of love and mercy, and of His death 
upon the cross for the sins of the world. 

And Mizrah listened. Many things ap- 
peared to him in a new light and somehow he 
liked the light, for with its warm and kindly 
glow it was already quickening his stubborn, 
hardened spirit. He said nothing while Joseph 
spoke, nor when he had ended. Joseph handed 
him the flask again and he took a deep draught. 
Then his eyes closed. 

Suddenly he opened them again. "Is he 
dead?" he asked, pointing to where Rajah lay. 
Joseph nodded. 

"I meant to kill him as a blasphemer of 
the Promise," Mizrah said feebly, "but he tried 
to save me even with danger unto himself." 

"It was the love of Christ," said Joseph, as 
the meaning of Rajah's last words dawned upon 
him. 

"I wronged him," continued Mizrah, "even 
though I meant to serve Jehovah." 



— 42 — 

Now the pain came over him again. Writh- 
ing in agony and wringing his hands he 
moaned: "My God! my loins are filled with 
burning. I am faint and sore bruised because 
of thine indignation, Jehovah!" 

Joseph bent over him again. "Dost thou 
believe in the Christ ?" he asked earnestly. "He 
will not break the bruised reed and the dimly 
burning wick will He not quench." 

Mizrah tried to speak, but could not. He 
nodded faintly. He seemed to feel easier again 
and his eyes closed. Joseph's hand rested 
gently upon his brow and he watched anxiously 
for a change in his condition. Mizrah's breath 
came slower and more faintly. A sigh, a 
quiver, and all was over. 

Jji % s$c 

Without the tent there was the clamor and 
the din of the world and its work, but within 
there reigned the peace of God, and with his 
head bowed in his hands Joseph contemplated 
the wonderful ways of Jehovah. 



VII. 

It was the evening of the Sabbath, and al- 
though the Sabbath had already passed accord- 
ing to the Jewish manner of measuring time, 



— 43 — 

the restful quiet of the day was still felt in the 
house of the widowed Esther and her daughter. 
It was a beautiful evening and Esther and 
Miriam had sought the house-top, the part of 
the home usually resorted to at that time of 
day. 

It must be remembered, that climate, the 
supreme law-giver everywhere in the matter of 
customs, has in the East assigned to the house- 
top a peculiar function. The Syrian summer 
day drives those who seek comfort into the cool 
and darkened rooms, while night calls them 
forth early to enjoy the golden moonlight and 
the soft balmy breezes. 

The breezes are found at their best at a 
slight elevation and the house-top, being easily 
accessible to all, was found to be the most de- 
sirable place to spend the evenings. So the roof 
became play-ground, place of conversation and 
general rendez-vous for the family and was 
ornamented and cared for in much the same 
lanner as the inhabitants of cooler climes 
lecorate the interior of their homes. 

The two women were not alone, however. 
With them was another whom we immediately 
recognize as Nydia, the Egyptian. For, when 
Artaces had found that his wife had visited the 



— 44 — 

gatherings of the Christians despite his threats, 
he had become so enraged, that he commanded 
her to leave his house at once and never to come 
before his eyes again. 

In her sorrow Nydia had come to Paul, who 
by the aid of Joseph had secured a temporary 
shelter for her in the house of Esther, where 
Nydia and Miriam had soon become fast 
friends. 

The three were seated in one of the small 
summer-houses with which the house-top was 
adorned. 

"I have heard this morning/ 3 ' said Esther, 
"that Eebekkah, the wife of Aaron the fisher- 
man, is very sick with fever again." 

"It must be very hard for the poor man," 
said Miriam; "And the children, so small yet 
and so many, and none to feed them and care 
for them." 

"Have they no relatives who could help?" 
asked Nydia. 

"Aaron has a brother here, but he cannot 
help; and Kebekkah's mother lives here also, 
but she is so old and feeble, she could not be of 
any help to her." 

"Listen to me mother," said Miriam, "can I 
not go to them on. the morrow? Maybe I can 
help a little." 



— 45 — 

"Thou hast a tender heart my Miriam," 
said her mother, "but that cannot be. — Hark, 
here comes Joseph, go thou and greet him," she 
continued, as footsteps were heard coming up 
the stairway. 

When Miriam reappeared she did indeed 
bring Joseph, who had been expected, but he 
was not alone. 

"I have brought a guest," said he, "a stran- 
ger and yet well known." 

"The peace of Christ be with you," said the 
voice of the apostle, for it was he, as the women 
greeted him. "It has been a happy day for me, 
the word has been gladly received wherever 
I spoke. I am sure the Lord has much people 
in this city." 

"The ways of Jehovah are very wonderful," 
said Joseph, "and He spreads the word in many 
a way we would not think of." He then told of 
the tragic death of Eajah and Mizrah and what 
he had been able to glean of their past. "And 
now the Lord has claimed His own and they 
are side by side within their tomb." 

"Who that knew Mizrah would have 
thought that he would ever die a Christian!" 
said Esther. "Mizrah was Aaron's brother, 
whom we spoke of a few moments ago," she 



— 46 — 

continued turning to Nydia, "he was a bond- 
servant of Eleazar." 

"I want to ask thee something," said 
Miriam to Joseph. "Why may I not go to 
Aaron's house to attend Kebekkah in her illness 
and look after her children? They must be 
in distress and want." 

"Who said thou mayst not go, my 
daughter ?" 

"I did not think it proper," said her mother, 
"it is no place for her, and Miriam is not ac- 
customed to such work, and besides they all are 
haters of the Christ." 

"Why should it be no place for Miriam, if 
she is willing to go?" asked Joseph. "It 
will be good for her to be thus occupied. Noth- 
ing stills the pain of sorrow so well as helping 
others to bear their burden." 

"We have always had servants, Joseph, the 
work will be too hard for her; and then the 
neighborhood is vile and the family is not in 
good repute." 

"Despise not the children of Jehovah," 
said the apostle. " 'Jehovah is high, yet He 
hath respect for the lowly/ saith the royal poet. 
Did not the Christ forsake eternal bliss and 



— 47 — 

glory to do good unto us, who were His enemies 
in sin and unbelief ?" 

"ThatAaron's family are haters of Christ," 
said Joseph, "seems to me a very good reason, 
why we, who love Him, should show kindness 
unto them. The spirit of love that Christ 
brought into the world makes converts more 
quickly and thoroughly than argument or 
preaching. Think of Eajah and Mizrah, 
Esther!" 

"The more I think and hear about it," said 
Nydia, "the more I feel that I must do some- 
thing for my Master who has done so much for 
me. Do you think that I could help in some 
such work like that which Miriam has pro- 
posed ?" 

"How wonderful are the ways and deeds of 
Jehovah!" cried the apostle. "In going 
through Antioch among Jews and Gentiles I 
have often prayed that the love of Christ might 
constrain some women of the faithful to go 
forth to the places of misery and sorrow, and 
by humility and kindness and love scatter the 
seed of the Gospel of Christ, and behold my 
prayer is answered beyond my expectations! 
There is work enough, Ny&ia, for all the willing 
ones that may be found P 



— 48 — 

"The new faith brings so many new things," 
said Esther, I do not yet understand all. It 
seems as if everything must change." 

"It must," Paul answered earnestly. "The 
old things are passed away and all has become 
new. In the old order of things we all lived 
unto ourselves, but having received Christ, the 
faithful must live for Him even as He died and 
rose again for their sakes." 



-^-v- 



— 49 — 



Gbe mew Ollfe. 



"As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, 
so walk in Him, rooted and builded up in Him, 
and established in your faith, even as you were 
taught y abounding in thanksgiving." — Col. a. 6.7. 

The story which you have just read, my 
dear young friends, was written to give you a 
picture of the work which the apostles of Christ 
had to perform to establish His church on 
earth. 

Of all the many millions of people that lived 
in the different countries at that time, only a 
very few, so few that you could have counted 
them without much trouble, knew anything of 
Christ. The rest had never heard of Him, or, if 
they had, neither believed what they had heard, 
nor cared for it. 

Now you can easily imagine what a piece of 
work it must have been to get such people to 
receive Christ, i. e., to believe in Him, to love 
Him and to live for Him. The incidents you 
read of in the story all happened within a few 
days of each other and are taken from the life 
of only one of the apostles in only one of the 
many cities which he visited. But this apostle 



— 50 — 

worked in this way for many years in many 
different countries and cities, and he only 
ceased when his enemies succeeded in putting 
him to death. All the other apostles worked in 
the same manner in other lands and cities, and 
because they were faithful in their work and 
were filled with God's Holy Spirit and lived 
and worked only for Him, they did not w T ork in 
vain. After a few years there were many 
Christian churches in the different cities where 
they had labored, some large and influential, 
others smaller and weaker, but all of them 
faithful to Christ and His word. 

Then their enemies, — Jews and Gentiles, — 
became angry at the headway the Church of 
Christ was making and resolved to put it 
down once for all. And so many bloody per- 
secutions were visited upon the Christians. 
They were forbidden to come together and wor- 
ship; if they did so, they were either driven 
away to other cities and countries or taken 
from their homes and cast into prison, where 
they were tortured and even killed, because they 
remained faithful to their Lord and Kedeemer. 

These persecutions were repeated again and 
again in every country where Christians lived, 
for nearly three hundred years, and we often 



— 51 — 

wonder, that any Christians were left. But 
their number had not grown less, it had 
rather increased steadily. For those, who 
witnessed the trials and persecutions and saw 
how the believers in Christ remained faithful 
and suffered pain and torture rather than give 
up their faith in Christ, began to think about 
the matter. And the more they thought, the 
more were they convinced, that, if there were 
people willing to die for their faith in Jesus, 
there must be something very precious in such 
a faith. So they began to attend the secret 
meetings of the Christians and soon became 
converts and earnest believers. 

Others who had been forced to leave their 
homes went to other-, lands and settled there. 
They began to tell their neighbors about Jesus 
and His wonderful love, and usually it was not 
very long before a small church could be estab- 
lished there. 

Thus, instead of harming the Church, the 
persecutions only helped it to grow faster 
and stronger. That was only, however, be- 
cause the Christians themselves were faithful 
everywhere, faithful even unto death. 



— 52 — 

In our day we are much more fortunate. 
We need not have our services of worship 
secretly, and we live in a land where none dare 
persecute us for our faith in Christ. 

In our infancy Christ has received us into 
His kingdom through baptism in His name; 
our parents or guardians have tried to give us 
a Christian training and education, so that it 
might be as easy as possible for us to receive 
Christ and lead a Christian life. 

How gladly, therefore, should we receive 
Him into our hearts, how willingly should we 
give Him our love, how gratefully should we 
live for Him who has died for us ! 



And now you have, in the most solemn mo- 
ment of your life, stood before the altar, in the 
presence of your God, and renounced every- 
thing sinful and ungodly; you have promised 
to be faithful to your God and His Word. 

I have no doubt that you meant and still 
mean to keep that promise. Probably, however, 
you thought it easier than it really is. Your 
pastor has tried to lead you to a full under- 
standing of what it means to receive Christ. 
Under his guidance you have learned to know 
the path of righteousness. He has prayed for 



— 53 — 

you that you may be found steadfast and faith- 
ful in that which you have learned. 

From now on you will no longer be directly 
under his eye as you have been heretofore, and 
his voice cannot always reach you as it did 
formerly. To a greater extent than ever before 
you will be left to yourself, and very many of 
you will be expected to take an active part in 
the life and work of the world. 

As your pastor thinks of all this a sigh 
escapes him. He is afraid that you will forget 
your promise and your good intentions, together 
with his teachings and advice, and lose what 
you had learned in the work or the amusements 
of every-day life. 

One may be very much interested in what 
the Bible tells us of Christ, one may know all 
the facts of His life and work — and it is worth 
much if one does — but if that is all you have 
of Him, you have not received Christ. You 
have received the knowledge of Him as you 
would that of Geography or Arithmetic; but 
Christ Himself is vastly more than mere knowl- 
edge. 

If you realize your faults and shortcomings, 
if you have discovered that you ought to think 



— 54 — 

oftener of your God and love Him more, and 
that yon conld be purer, nobler, better in 
thoughts, word and action; if you feel un- 
worthy of God because you are not what you 
should be — then your heart is open to receive 
Christ. Those are the hearts that He is willing 
to enter, those are the souls that He may cheer 
and brighten with His mercy and grace and 
loving kindness, there He gladly bestows for- 
giveness of sins, courage and power to resist 
and conquer the temptations of the world, joy 
and peace and happiness that none can take 
away. 

Keep your heart open to receive Christ, en- 
deavor to keep it free from all that you feel He 
could not approve, communicate with Him in 
prayer and meditation as with your dearest 
friend, whenever an opportunity offers; try 
again every day to live for Him who has died 
for you, and your soul will thrill with a new life 
that will help you to grow more like Him from 
day to day. Then you will learn to understand 
that to receive Christ means nothing if it does 
not mean the entrance upon a new life where 
the things that are old will gradually pass away, 
while the heart becomes filled with a new and 
a sacred love. 



— 55 — 

One day as I was driving through a forest 
I saw many trees that had been torn up by the 
roots and destroyed by a storm which had swept 
over that part of the country some weeks be- 
fore. With their trunks broken in several 
places, their limbs dashed into splinters and 
scattered around and the black and torn roots 
exposed, they presented a sad picture of ruin 
and desolation. As I was wondering why the 
storm had not destroyed all of the trees in that 
forest, I noticed that none of the uprooted 
trees showed the large central tap-root which 
goes down deep into the ground. The roots 
which had been torn up by the violence of the 
storm must all have been near the surface of 
the earth and thus could not offer much resist- 
ance. No doubt, I thought to myself, that is 
the secret. The other trees, or most of them, 
have their tap-root securely anchored in the 
earth and were therefore able to withstand the 
storm. 

During the years of my ministry I have seen 
many children stand before the altar on the day 
of their confirmation and heard them promise 
to be faithful to their God. Then they went 
forth to take an active part in the work of the 
world, each in his own place. And as I think of 



— 56 — 

many of them, they seem like the uprooted trees 
which I have described. The storms of life, its 
troubles, temptations and trials came and — 
they fell before them, so that now their godless, 
worldly lives present a sad picture of destruc- 
tion and ruin. They were not rooted firmly 
enough in Christ and His word, and instead of 
obtaining strength of purpose and power of 
resistance from their faith they lost what hold 
they had. 

Now many varieties of forest trees have not 
been provided with the powerful trunk-root 
that anchors them deep in the soil and fur- 
nishes strength and power and they are there- 
fore more at the mercy of the tempest than 
others. With us, however, this is different. 
All who are baptized into the name of Christ 
and have the knowledge of what He has done 
for them, have, as we might say, been planted 
in Him and may become firmly "rooted in 
Him" as the apostle says. By this he means 
that close and intimate union with the Ee- 
deemer of which Christ Himself speaks, when 
he says: "Abide in Me and I in you." John 
xv. 4. To be rooted in Christ means to be in as 
close and constant touch with Him as the tree 
is with the soil upon which it stands. Let your 



— 57 — 

thoughts and desires be those of Christ, ask 
yourself: "What would Jesus do?^ when you 
are making plans or forming decisions; study 
the Word of God with the single purpose to see 
Jesus and Him only and make it the stand- 
ard of your thoughts and actions. Then 
you will become more and more firmly rooted 
in Him and more and more able to withstand 
the temptations of the world. 



No doubt one of the most serious questions 
which now concern you is the question as to the 
trade or occupation you are to follow. This is, 
indeed, a very important matter and much of 
your future happiness depends upon your de- 
cision. In deciding this question you will have 
to consider not only your tastes and inclina- 
tions, or the opportunities that are offered to 
you, but also your abilities and the means 
at your disposal. Whatever your choice may 
be, I trust that your occupation will be a decent 
and an honorable one, and I heartily join your 
friends and relatives in wishing you God's 
blessing in any such undertaking. 

However important this matter is, there is 
still another much more important point in- 
volved. Usually this earthly life alone is con- 



~ 58 — 

sidered in the choice of a career or an occupa- 
tion, and men forget that that part of life which 
lies between the cradle and the grave is really 
only an insignificant part, a mere fraction, of 
the whole. 

Our life cannot be measured by years, and 
the grave is not its end, for beyond the grave 
it merges into the vastness of eternity. x\ll of 
us are workers for eternity, whether we wish to 
be or not. Time furnishes the opportunity for 
the work each one is doing as well as the tools 
with which the work is done, but the design 
and object of the work as well as the material 
is of God, eternal. To illustrate this aspect of 
our life the apostle uses the words: "builded 
Up in Him." Christ is compared not only with 
the soil in which His believers must be firmly 
rooted to obtain life and strength, but also 
with a corner-stone and foundation upon which 
the -life of the faithful must rest in order 
that "each several building, fitly framed to- 
gether, groweth into a holy temple of the Lord; 
in whom ye also are to be builded together for 
a habitation of God in the Spirit." (Eph. ii. 
21. 22.) 

As the foundation or corner-stone supports 
and gives shape and direction to the entire 



— ■59 — 

building, so must Christ, the "chief corner- 
stone that is laid in Zion," (I. Pet. ii. 6.) support 
and direct the life of His followers. Only in so 
far as this is the case, can they build them- 
selves into "a holy temple of the Lord," a habi- 
tation of God in the Spirit. 

There, my dear young friends, is the plan 
of your life-work laid out before you. What- 
ever your trade or occupation, you cannot 
afford to forget that you are builders for 
eternity, working for God's own purpose. The 
work you do upon the farm, in the shop or 
office, or wherever your field of labor may be, 
will be, at the best, only for a few short 
years, in spite of the pains you take with it or 
the time you spend upon it, while the work 
you do in building your life "into a holy temple 
of the Lord" will stand through all eternity. 

To do this work right you must have Christ 
as your corner-stone and foundation. Nothing 
else will do. Do not build upon the riches of 
this world : they are apt to take wings when you 
least suspect it; do not trust to your friends: 
they may leave you when you need them most ; 
do not rely on what others say or do, or what 
they may think of you: opinions often change 
very quickly, and to-morrow you may sigh for 
the reputation you had to-day. 



— 60 — 

Take Christ for your corner-stone. Let Him 
direct the line of your conduct and your every 
duty. Hew straight to that line. Bring every 
thought of your heart, every word of your lips, 
every action of your life into rigid accordance 
with it. If you fail once, try again. Never 
give up. Be faithful. 

Then will the structure of your life stand 
safe and secure, though everything totter and 
fall around it; then will it appear in beautiful 
and noble proportions, though your days had 
been spent in humility and even in suffering. 
And when at last Death calls a halt, God Him- 
self will carry it forward to glorious perfection. 



-J*-H|K4-4- 



— 61 — 

Consecration* 



Take my lif e, and let it be 
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; 
Take my hands and let them move 
At the impulse of Thy love. 

Take my feet and let them be 
Swift in service, Lord, for Thee; 
Take my voice and let me sing 
Always, only, for my King. 

Take my lips and let them be 
Filled with messages for Thee; 
Take my silver and my gold, 
Not a mite would I withhold. 

Take my moments and my days, 
Let them flow in ceaseless praise; 
Take my intellect and use 
Ev^ry pow^r as Thou shalt choose. 

Take my will and make it Thine, 
It shall be no longer mine; 
Take my heart, it is Thine own, 
Let it be Thy royal throne. 

Take my love ; my Lord, I pour 

At thy feet its treasure-store; 

Take myself and I will be 

Ever, only, all, for Thee ! Ev. Hymnal 



— 62 — 

a Serious flatter- 



There is a pretty fable that tells of a camel- 
driver in Syria, whose animal became wild and 
endeavored to get away from him. In the 
struggle to obtain its freedom, the beast sud- 
denly turned upon the driver, biting and kick- 
ing at him, so that he had to seek safety in 
flight, 

Without looking about him the man ran on 
until he was ^stopped by a broad and deep abyss 
that suddenly yawned before him. Behind was 
the camel, snorting and furious, coming nearer 
and nearer. Looking around for a place of 
safety he saw a dwarfed and stunted bush that 
had grown Out from the side of the abyss and 
to it he made his way, thinking to cling to it 
until the danger above had passed. 

Upon looking about him, he discovered jl 
that the cliff descended abruptly for many hun- 
dred feet, while far down at the bottom he 
could see the fiery tongue of an immense dra- 
gon, whose eyes glared up at him out of the 
darkness. His heart sank at the sight. What 
if he should lose his hold upon the bush ! What 



— 63 — 

if the bush should not be able to bear his 
weight ! 

To increase his terror still more he observed 
two mice gnawing at the roots of the bush and 
carrying them away piece by piece to their nest. 
It could not be long before the bush would have 
to give way. He dared not move to drive the 
mice away for fear of bringing on the dreaded 
moment so much the sooner. Steadily the mice 
kept at their work, every little while a tender 
rootlet was gnawed in two, now and then little 
clods of earth gave way and rolled down into 
the gulf below. 

As the man thought of the terrible fate that 
awaited him, he observed what he had not no- 
ticed before, that the bush bore a number of 
bright red berries. Tasting one of them he 
found them sweet and juicy. Instantly his 
dangerous position, the camel above, the fiery 
monster below, the mice, and the bush slowly 
giving way, were forgotten and while they 
lasted, the man thought only of the pleasure 
which the berries gave him. 

That was the height of foolishness, you will 
say. And you are right, But it is just the kind 
of foolishness you may observe going on around 
you day after day, and the fable only means to 



— 64 — 

give us a glimpse of human life as it would 
really appear to an outside observer. 

The camel represents the cares and the 
anxieties, the worry, the labor, the trouble and 
the sorrows of life from which mankind would 
try to escape. But there is no escape except 
Death, the fiery monster in the bottomless gulf. 
Day and Night are the mice that incessantly 
gnaw at the roots of Time, the bush to which 
man clings, and constantly lessen the distance 
between him and death. All this is plain to 
any one, and yet, how easily is the terrible 
seriousness of it all forgotten, when the berries, 
the, pleasures and amusements of life, "the lust 
of flesh, the lust of the eyes and the vain glory 
of lif e" as the apostle says (I. John ii. 1 6), are 
caught sight of! 



Life is short, my dear young readers. It 
may not appear so to you now, as you stand 
upon its threshold full of hope and confidence 
and with the desire to be something and to do 
something. But do not be deceived. Ask those 
who have lived longest and, though their years 
were four-score or even more, they will tell you 
that it seemed but yesterday since they were 
young and hopeful as you are now, they will 



— 65 — 

assure you that life is so very short that the 
best part of it had passed before they realized it. 

Though life be short, much, very much, de- 
pends upon it. You have an immortal soul to 
save; in order to do it you are to receive Christ 
to be rooted and builded up in Him. You are 
builders for eternity; in order to accomplish 
anything, you are to live and work in Christ 
and for Him. 

All this is very serious business. It would 
be serious enough if human life were longer 
than it is; it is all the more serious because, at 
the best, it is so short; it is still more serious, 
because you do not know how much shorter 
your own may be. If they who have reached a 
ripe old age consider life short, what shall we 
call the lives of those that are cut off in the 
prime of youth or the best years of man and 
womanhood? You do not know what the 
future has in store for you. Every day and night 
takes away twenty-four hours of your life and 
brings its end so much the nearer. Your hold 
upon life becomes weaker every day and sooner 
or later the last day will come. There is no 
escape. 

Are you going to forget all this terrible 
seriousness of life: the salvation of your im- 



— 66 — 

mortal soul, your duty to your God and His 
eternal laws, the still greater seriousness of 
death; are you going to forget all this for the 
sake of a few berries you may be able to reach 
while your life yet lasts ? Anything that does 
make you forget the serious object and duties of 
your life is dangerous to your best interests, to 
your eternal welfare. 

In one way or another you will encounter 
many of these dangers along the pathway of your 
life. Temptation will come to you in many 
different forms and ways; in no place, at no 
time and among no company will you be safe 
from its attacks. If you really desire to receive 
Christ, to be rooted and builded up in Him 
that you mav walk in Him, it will be necessary 
that you know the enemy, for then only can 
you defend yourself. 



-t—*~3®.~*~~ h 



— 67 — 

Banger ! 



One of the principal sources of temptation 
and danger to a Christian life are the riches of 
the world. They are a source of danger not 
only to those who possess them, but also to those 
who have them not. No matter to which class 
you belong, you must be on your guard for the 
temptations that will confront you. 

"The rich and poor meet together/' says 
King Solomon "and Jehovah is the maker of 
them all/' (Prov. xxii. 2.) It is no accident that 
there are rich and poor dwelling together upon 
God's earth, it is God's own order of things and 
he has so ordered for a purpose. To be poor 
is, therefore, no more a disgrace than it is an 
honor to be rich, and it is very foolish for any 
one, rich or poor, to tax the other's worth ac- 
cording to riches or poverty in temporal things. 

If you are poor, above all things be con- 
tented. You can be happy without wealth — 
very much happier, even, than most people 
with it — but you cannot be happy without con- 
tentment, and the greatest wealth any man may 
possess is that whereof St Paul writes: I. Tim. 



— 68 — 

vi. 6. Godliness alone makes true contentment 
possible, for it relies not upon the abundance of 
things one may possess, (Luke xii. 15 — 21.) but 
has confidence in the promise and help of God. 
(Hebr. xiii. 5.) 

Don't think that you cannot accomplish 
anything because you are poor. "Jehovah 
raiseth the poor out of the dust. . . .to make 
them sit with princes and inherit the throne 
of glory." (I. Sam. ii. 8.) Almost all of the men 
who have done great things in the world have 
come from lowly stations in life. Don't be 
afraid of the difficulties you see in your path. 
Set your ideals high and never lose sight of 
them. 

Be faithful in the performance of your duty^ 
no matter how humble it may be. Don't be 
afraid of work; keep at work; work hard. 
There is no better school for faithfulness than 
poverty or adversity. Being thrown upon your 
own resources, the good that is in you will come 
to the surface. The greater the difficulties to 
be overcome, the greater will be the victory 
when they have been conquered. 

These are little guide-posts along the way to 
success and happiness. If you heed them you 
will be saved from many of the pit-falls and 



— 69 — 

dangers that threaten the traveler. "Seek ye 
first the kingdom of God and His righteous- 
ness." (Matth. vi. 33.) and you shall find that 
not only will "all else be added unto you/' but 
also, that your heart will be free from un- 
kind, bitter feelings toward those whom the 
world calls more fortunate than yourself; you 
will have neither time nor inclination to envy 
others for that which you have not, nor will 
you find it difficult to conquer all temptations 
to gain success or wealth by dishonest methods. 



To those who possess it, wealth affords many 
and great opportunities for success and hap- 
piness. But wealth alone gives neither. Having 
the means you may obtain a more thorough and 
therefore more valuable education: good books 
with all their stores of knowledge and wisdom 
are at your command; beautiful pictures and 
works of art will help you to know and to love 
the true and the beautiful; travel in your own 
or other countries will show you the wonderful 
works of God and open your eyes to understand 
them, while almost every day of j our life will 
give you new opportunities of doing good. 

All this is very valuable to many persons 
and they strive in every way to gain wealth. 



— 70 — 

But it is really valuable only in so far as it 
enables you to be better and do more good than 
would otherwise have been possible. To use 
wealth merely for ostentation, to gratify one's 
vanity by extravagance, to be proud of the 
social position that wealth usually affords, all 
this is not only extremely vulgar, but positively 
sinful, for it is a waste of means and opportuni- 
ties which, according to God's purposes, should 
have been used for better ends. 

God is no respecter of persons; He cares 
not for fine houses, beautiful furnishings, 
costly garments, nor for high social position. 
He looketh upon the heart. "Therefore let not 
the rich man glory in his riches, but let him 
that glorieth glory in this that he hath under- 
standing and knoweth Me, that I am Jehovah, 
who exerciseih loving kindness and righteous- 
ness upon the earth/' (Jer. ix. 23. 24.) Jesus 
calls all those persons fools who have their hope 
set on the uncertainty of riches and "lay up for 
themselves treasures upon the earth where 
moth and rust consume and thieves break 
through and steal," but who are "not rich in 
God." (Matth. vi. 19; Luke xii. 21.) They are 
fools because they place a greater value upon 
that which passeth away, than upon that which 
abideth eternally. 



- 71 - 

There is a certain charm in the possession of 
the wealth of this world that makes it danger- 
ous for the peace and happiness and welfare of 
the immortal soul. The love and desire for 
wealth may grow with it, until it has mastered 
every other love and desire, for "where a man's 
treasure is there will his heart be also." (Matth. 
vi. 21; Luke xii. 3-i.) And because it is so easy 
for man's heart to become set upon the world 
and its riches, Christ says : "Verily, I say unto 
you, it is hard for a rich man to enter into the 
kingdom of heaven." (Matth. xix. 23.) 

All who have more than they need of the 
treasures of this world should take to heart 
what is written I. Tim. vi. 17 — 19. If greater 
wealth, a better education, or a higher social 
position bring more and greater power and in- 
fluence to their possessor, they also bring 
greater duties and sterner responsibilities. 
Because those who are blessed with the wealth 
of the world, can accomplish more for the good 
and happiness of the world, than those who 
are not so blessed, more will also be demanded 
of them by a just and righteous God. 

If you do not need to earn a living you have 
all the more time to work for your God and 
His suffering children; if your life already is 



— 72 — 

bright and happy, make the lives of those who 
are in sorrow or trouble brighter and happier. 
Eegard idleness as your worst enemy. Work 
for any good cause; be sure to work for some 
good cause; work for every good cause if you 
can. Look out for opportunities to do good. 
Make personal efforts to help those who are in 
distress. Give your heart to charity; it is worth 
more than your gold. Eegard your wealth, 
your time, your influence as a sacred trust, for 
the use of which you will have to give an ac- 
counting upon the day in which God will judge 
the world in righteousness. 

Eemember that you can do no greater harm 
to your immortal soul, than by spending your 
time and your money for mere enjoyment, and 
by giving yourself over to a life of ease and 
luxury and vanity. 



-s— HPt~*— *- 



— 73 - 

"3SSe Sober, 3c Watcbfuir 



"Where are you going this afternoon ?" said 
Willie Harris to his chum Charlie Jackson one 
Sunday morning as they were on their way to 
Sabbath School. 

"I don't know/' Charlie answered; "Maybe 
I'll go fishing with Frank and Albert over to 
Bass Lake, maybe we'll all go over to Pleasant- 
ville to Grandpa's." 

"Can't you go along with me over to Harry 
Jones'?" said Willie. "Some of us boys were 
over there last Sunday, an' we played cards 
nearly all afternoon. It's fun, I tell you." 

Now Harry Jones' father kept the store 
down at the corner, and Sunday afternoon al- 
ways found a number of his special friends 
there, smoking, telling stories and playing- 
cards. All the boys knew that they could tell 
such funny stories and it was even said that 
they sometimes played cards for money! 

Charlie had never played cards before, but 
he thought he would like to. It was almost like 
being a man already just to be in such company. 
So he considered. "Pa won't let me," he said 
at length. 



— 74 — 

" 'Taint no worse to play cards than 'tis to 
go fishing," answered Willie, "an 3 besides, you 
don't have to tell him where you go." 

"No, but he'd ask if I didn't go fishing an' 
I couldn't stay at home alone if they went to 
Grandpa's." 

"Well, if they don't go to your grandpa's 
you can tell Frank and Albert you don't want 
to go fishing. You'd have to walk way out to 
Bass Lake anyway if you did." 

"They'd ask why I didn't go an' then go an' 
tell Pa. Besides, I don't know how to play 
cards." 

"You'll learn quick enough, an' what if they 
do ask where you're goin' ? You're fourteen ain't 
you ? I ain't fourteen yet, but I just go where I 
want to Sunday afternoons. I'd think you're old 
enough to be your own boss." 

Charlie's face flushed . They had nearly 
reached the church gate by this time and the 
conversation would soon cease. 

"I'll try to come," Charlie whispered 
they entered the gate. "If I can, I'll be down 
at the corner by two o'clock." 

Willie and Charlie were both in the Bible 
class. The story of David and Goliath was the 
lesson for that da}^ and the pastor pictured to 



! 



— 75 — 

them the courage of David and how the arm of 
Jehovah helped him win the day. 

"David was one of the smallest and young- 
est among all the people there/* he said. "He 
was not even a soldier and had no experience in 
fighting., no one would have even thought him 
fit for a soldier. Yet he had the courage to take 
up the fight and he won because he was sure 
that he who fought for God could never lose. 
Any one could have done what he did if he had 
only trusted in God the way he did. 

"Now I suppose none of you boys want to 
be called a coward, do you?" said the pastor 
in conclusion. 

A chorus of "noes" answered the question. 

"You're right/' continued the pastor, "its 
about the meanest thing that could be said of 
you and I hope none of my boys will ever be 
guilty of cowardice. There are two kinds of 
cowards, however/' he added, "and you. must be 
very careful not to get them mixed." 

"Now Charlie," he asked, "if some one were 
to ask you to do something you knew was 
wrong, as going to a dance, or playing cards, 
and you did not want to, would it be fair to 
call you a coward ?" 

Charlie hung his head as he thought of his 



— 76 — 

conversation with Willie. "No sir, I don't think 
it would/' he answered. 

"Nor do I," said the pastor, because, when- 
ever you could do something wrong and don't 
want to, you are fighting against a temptation 
and you would be a real coward if you did not. 

"Only a little while ago we all sang : 'Stand 
up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross/ 
All our life is really a great war, and the enemy 
to be fought and driven away are the powers of 
darkness and the hosts of wickedness, the temp- 
tations to wrong-doing of every kind. 

"Every temptation is, in fact, a giant Go- 
liath; if you only stop to listen, your conscience 
will tell you when he is in sight. The first 
thing you need then is courage. Don't be 
afraid of him, but go right at him. The 
bravest man or boy is always the one who dares 
to do right, even if others do laugh at him, or 
even call him a coward. Eemember that you 
are fighting God's battles, and, if you are only 
faithful, you will always come out on top. 

"A few days ago I was told that some of 
our boys — I don't know who, and I don't wan't 
to know — were playing cards down at the store 
nearly all last Sunday afternoon. If that is 
true, I am very sorry, for I did not -think any 



— 77 — 

of you would spend your Sunday afternoons in 
such a manner. Don't forget that you are 
'Christian soldiers' and that there are enemies 
everywhere. 

"This morning the doctor told me that 
Hugh Williams, who, as you all know, has been 
quite sick, is getting better. He has not been 
here for four weeks and I know it would please 
him if we all went over to sing a song or two 
for him. Who'll go?" 

Instantly every right hand was raised. 

"That's right," said the pastor, "be here by 
two o'clock and we'll go over." 

Hugh Williams was a very much astonished 
boy when, at about half past two o'clock nearly 
all of his Sabbath-school classmates with the 
pastor at the head filed into his little sick-room. 
Some of the girls had come also with their 
teacher, and when all of them started with his 
favorite song/What a Friend We Have in Jesus,' 
Hugh and his mother wept for joy, and even 
some of the older boys began to fumble for 
their handkerchiefs. 

The pastor then read a beautiful story to 
them all and spoke a short prayer. Then they 
sang again and all went to their several homes, 



— 78 — 

"That was better than playing cards," said 
Willie to Charlie as they passed the store. 

This little incident calls our attention to 
another class of dangers that beset the pathway 
of our life. For there are temptations and 
dangers even in the pleasures and amusements 
of our life. The danger is all the more serious 
because it is usually hidden behind a mask of 
apparently innocent enjoyment. 

Do not for a moment think that I would 
deprive your life of its joy and happiness. I 
think it is utterly wrong to even attempt to do 
anything of the kind. There is so much work 
and care and sorrow crowded into the few years 
of our life, that it would be cruel to deny to 
any one the right to enjoy life. I can even say 
that the real Christian life brings more perfect 
joy and happiness than anything else in the 
world could. The Word of God has, indeed, no 
other purpose than to make all of us really 
happy. 

But there is a difference in the pleasure 
that one may have. All pleasure is either joy 
or amusement. Joy is any pleasurable emotion 
caused by success, good fortune or the like, or 
by a prospect of possessing what we love or 



— 79 — 

desire; amusement is anything that will enter- 
tain, divert or pleasantly occupy. Joy is 
the reward of faithful effort or the gift of lov- 
ing kindness, amusement is designed to kill 
time; joy makes strong and happy, amusement 
only tires; joy dwells in the heart, amusement 
only in the senses. 

In the opinion of many persons a game of 
cards is like any other game and should not, 
therefore, be considered more harmful than 
any other. 

But the game of cards is a game of chance 
and all games of chance are harmful in their 
effects if they are indulged in too long and fre- 
quently. Where the winning or losing of a 
game depends upon one's own good fortune or 
another's misfortune, the passions are excited, 
vanity, selfishness and love of gain are stimu- 
lated, while the temptation to resort to fraud 
and dishonesty is very great wherever chance 
has repeatedly been unfavorable. It is, of 
course, very natural, that one who has lost 
should want to play, on so as to win, while one 
who wins, of course, desires to win again. Thus 
there is not only jealousy, envy and hatred 
kindled among the players, but usually much 
valuable time is lost, f <>r a game that was begun 



— 80 - 

to pass away a few idle moments may last an 
hour or more, before the players are even with 
each other. All this time which might have 
been put to some useful or profitable purpose 
has been needlessly wasted. 

Thus you will see that it is not so much the 
game itself as the consequences it is almost 
sure to have that are dangerous to your Chris- 
tian life. If you take into consideration the 
places at which, and the company among which 
cards are usually played, as well as the language 
used, the subjects spoken of on such occasions, 
I suppose that you will agree with me that you 
will be much better off if you are not found 
there. By not being there you will not lose 
anything worth having, while you are almost 
sure to acquire very much which you and those 
who love you most will some time be very sorry 
for. 

The worst form of the game of cards or 
any other game of chance is that of gambling, 
and it makes no difference whether it is done 
in connection with a game of cards, a horse 
race or anything else. A gambler is always 
dishonest, he is in fact really nothing short of 
a thief, for he takes money which does not 
belong to him without giving anything in re- 



— 81 — 

turn. For this reason most cities and many of 
the states have laws against this evil as against 
any other kind of crime. Those who practice 
it are, therefore, criminals and may be punished 
accordingly. But even if no laws were enacted 
against the practice anywhere, it would still be 
absolutely sinful according to the standards of 

IjOCl. j!j % % 

Strong drink is another source of serious 
danger to the Christian life. It is, perhaps, 
least so when used occasionally and moderately 
in the home, although even such a use has been 
.fruitful of evil results. Wherever it is used 
regularly or habitually an appetite is created 
which sooner or later will surely bring ruin, 
misery and death to its victims. 

The first effects of strong drink are those 
of a stimulant to the machinery of life. As a 
result the heart, brain and nervous system 
work with increased energy, and the entire or- 
ganism may do brisk work for a short time; 
the mind works more rapidly, the muscles are 
excited to quick action and the nerves become 
more sensitive. These effects are but tempo- 
rary, however, and when they have passed away 
they leave the body weak and feeble from the 
enforced activity. 



— 82 — 

Where liquor is taken in larger quantities, 
other and more disagreeable effects soon follow. 
The spinal chord is -affected, and little by little 
the control of the muscles is lost, until at last 
even the brain suffers, the will is overpowered 
and reason gives way. Then the animal in- 
stincts assume the mastery of the man, the vic- 
tim is prostrated and at last falls into utter 
insensibility. 

Where drinking is carried on to excess even 
those nervous centres which control breathing 
and the circulation, — the last ones of all to be 
influenced — are affected and death ensues. 
While this does not happen very often it has 
happened often enough to show the poisonous, 
deadly effect of liquor beyond a doubt. Heed, 
therefore, the words of wisdom: "Look not 
thou upon the wine when it is red, when it 
sparkleth in the cup, when it goeth down 
smoothly: At the last it biteth like a serpent 
and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall 
behold strange things and thy heart shall utter 
perverse things." (Prov. xxiii. 31 — 33.) 

You will understand from this that the 
effects of the regular and habitual use of even 
a little liquor of any kind, must be injurious 
to the body. The brain becomes clouded and 



— 83 — 

unfit for its work, the muscles become weak 
and unsteady and unable to do their duty, while 
the nervous system is disturbed and finally 
wrecked by the continuous excitement. "Know 
ye not," says the apostle, "that your body is a 
temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, 
which ye have from God ? And ye are not your 
own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify 
God therefore in your body." (I. Cor, vi. 19. 20.) 
In addition to these disastrous effects of 
strong drink upon the body, — which in them- 
selves should be a solemn warning to all, — its 
use will bring on other evil results as certainly 
as night follows day. Think of the money that 
is foolishly spent in this manner ! Only a small 
fraction of the amount spent for liquor every 
year in your own city or county would main- 
tain a whole family for many years ! And they 
yho spend this money get no return for it but 
that of a moment's pleasure! If the money 
thus spent could be given to some charitable 
ourpose how much good could be accomplished 
by it! And instead, there is not a particle of 
*ood done, only harm! Think of the shame 
and misery which strong drink has brought 
into thousands of homes which could have 
been bright and happy ! Think of the suffering 



— 84 — 

which drunken sons and husbands have caused 
their families who might have been well fed 
and clothed! Think of the crimes, the un- 
utterable wickedness and evil that has been 
committed under the influence of liquor, and 
the thousands of graves and prison cells that 
have been filled by drunkards ! Think of that 
most appalling fact of all which the apostle so 
plainly and unmistakably declares: "Drunk- 
ards shall not inherit the kingdom of God!" 
(I. Cor. vi. 10; Gal. v. 21; Eph. v. 5; Prov. 
xxiii. 29. 30.) Think of all this and then try 
to think, if you can, that the use of strong 
drink is not a curse to our people and our 
country ! 

When a boy gets out of school — sometimes 
even before — he begins to count himself a man 
and often attempts to prove it by openly using 
tobacco. Now I earnestly hope that all the 
boys who read this book will in course of time 
grow up to be real men, not only in size or age 
but especially in character. But don't try to 
prove that you are on the way to real manhood 
by using tobacco. If you do, there are some 
chances that you will not grow up to be a real 
man in the best sense of the word after all. 



— 85 — 

The tobacco plant contains a very strong 
poison called nicotine. If you should swallow 
the amount of nicotine contained in one or two 
cigars it would cause your death. In smoking 
or chewing some of the nicotine is absorbed, and 
while most physicians agree that a full grown 
healthy man may use tobacco moderately with- 
out evil results, nearly everybody will also 
agree that the use of tobacco does but very 
little good. Most people who are habitual 
users of tobacco, wish they were not, while I 
have heard of none who were sorry they had 
never used tobacco. 

All who use tobacco in their youth, the 
period of physical and mental growth, injure 
their health seriously, perhaps permanently. 
Even a moderate use at this time tends to 
hinder the development of mind and body and 
makes you unfit for the real duties of life. Es- 
pecially is this true of the cigarette habit, to 
which so many boys are addicted. So danger- 
ous is this habit to body, mind and soul, that a 
cigarette smoker is regarded with suspicion 
almost everywhere. In recent years the largest 
business enterprises of the country, railroad, 
telegraph and insurance companies, and busi- 
ness houses of every kind, have refused to em- 



— 86 — 

ploy cigarette smokers, while the United States 
Army and Navy, as well as many schools, 
colleges and universities are closed against 
them also. 

Eemember that anything which will injure 
your health or make you in any way unfit for 
the duties of life, is a crime against yourself and 
a sin against your God, which you and those 
who love you must surely suffer for. 

$ . $ $ 

One of the amusements that seem to have 
a special charm for young people is that of 
dancing and, no doubt, it appeals especially to 
those who have a natural fondness for music 
and social pleasures. 

Dancing is undoubtedly of Eastern origin. 
All Eastern people naturally display their feel- 
ings in some' outward manner; in trouble or 
distress they rend their clothes, or tear the hair, 
loudly bewailing their misfortune, while the 
dance and song are their expressions of happi- 
ness. Many of these practices we find men- 
tioned in the Bible, among them that of danc- 
ing. (Judges xxi. 19 — 21; Jer. iii. 4.) Many of 
the heathen nations of the East had religious 
dances which were a part of their worship, and 
even in Israel this seems to have been a well 



- 87 — 

known custom. Thus, in Ex. xv. 20. 21, where 
Miriam and the women of Israel danced before 
the Lord to praise Him for His great deliver- 
ance, and II. Sam. vi. 14, where David danced 
for joy before Jehovah because the ark of the 
covenant was brought back to Jerusalem. Ps. 
cl. 4 also mentions the dance as a mode of 
praising Jehovah. 

From the East the practice found its way 
into Europe and America. The original, 
natural and spontaneous character was lost, 
however, and it became simply an amusement 
indulged in for pleasure only. Because of this 
there are certain dangers to a true Christian 
life about the practice with which all of you 
ought to be acquainted. 

Several years ago I had a little talk with 
some young people on the subject and asked 
them in the course of my remarks : 

"Now, if there must be dancing, as it ap- 
pears, why do not the young gentlemen and the 
young ladies dance by themselves ? You could 
then enjoy the same music, the same congenial 
society and still avoid the dangers of the prac- 
tice." 

"0, that wouldn't be any fun/' was the 
answer. 



So after all it is not the music nor the 
society that makes dancing a much-sought 
pleasure, but something very different. If 
there were not the personal touch and contact 
and the consequent excitement then there 
would be no "fun" in it! 

Did you ever look at the matter that way, 
my dear young reader? 

Think of it, girls. I know none of you 
would in your own home permit the familiari- 
ties commonly indulged in at dancing parties. 
Why then should they be permitted in public ? 
"They all do it," you say? Does that make a 
wrong thing right? You will be happier and 
your maidenhood will be sweeter and more 
charming to all whose opinion is of any value 
if you do not permit even the slightest familiar- 
ity with your person on any occasion. 

Very often the company one meets at dan- 
cing parties is objectionable. You cannot re- 
fuse an introduction to any one present with- 
out causing hard feelings, and every lady is 
expected to accept any gentleman present as 
her partner for at least one dance, although she 
may ignore him the next day. While on the 
dancing floor a lady is, therefore, really re- 
quired to bestow her friendship on any one 



present and to be amiable to people whom she 
would not recognize, much less speak to, any- 
where else. In this way pure and innocent girls 
are often required to dance with vulgar and 
immoral men and many ruined lives prove the 
truth of the apostle's saying: "Evil compan- 
ionship corrupt good morals/' (I. Cor. xv. 33.) 

Let your standard of friendship and moral- 
ity ever be high and above suspicion and do not 
for a moment lower it for the sake of amuse- 
ments which at best are silly and rediculous. If 
you would keep your character unstained and 
remain pure in heart, then avoid being "un- 
equally yoked with unbelievers; for what fel- 
lowship have righteousness and iniquity? or 
what communion hath light with darkness?" 
(II. Cor. vi. 14.) 

One very good way to know the pleasures 
that are safe and those that are dangerous is to 
ask yourself the question: "Could Jesus ac- 
company me if He were living in the flesh?" 
If you can honestly imagine that He could, 
then well and good; if you can afterward 
honestly imagine that He would agree with all 
you said or did there, so much the better. If 
your conscience protests, however, if you feel 
that He would very likely not go with you, then 



— 90 — 

you may be sure that it is no place for you, 
for there is danger and you had better stay 
away — unless you want to separate yourself 
from your best Friend and stray away from the 
tender care of the Good Shepherd. 

♦ *H ♦ 

Recently some large, rosy-cheeked apples 
were presented to me upon a waiter. I took one 
and cut it in two. But alas! instead of the 
pleasure I had anticipated, I found that the 
apple was totally unfit to eat. Not only was the 
core rotten through and through, but the greater 
part of the meat also and that which was left, 
was already in the first stages of decay. Ac- 
cording to outward appearances the apple 
seemed perfect, but within there was all the 
hideousness of worm-eaten rottenness that 
would soon have become apparent in all its dis- 
gusting ugliness. 

Many a boy's and girl's life would appear 
like this apple if people could look at the 
heart. From some wicked companion they have 
learned to enjoy impure thoughts and by and 
by to do unclean deeds, until this kind of evil 
has taken hold of them like a foul disease and 
they are slaves to secret sins. No doubt you 
have met such children in school or elsewhere; 



— 91 — 

perhaps you have been tempted to do likewise; 
perhaps you have even fallen a victim to such 
evil habits. 

In all this there is deadly poison for a true 
Christian life. No one can enjoy "the lust of 
the flesh and the lust of the eyes," (I. John ii. 
16.) and love Christ also, and those who persist 
in things of this nature must lose for this world 
and the one to come the peace and happiness 
that comes of a pure Christian life. All such 
thoughts and practices weaken the will and the 
mind, destroy health and make one unfit for 
the work of life. For a time these evil desires 
and habits may remain unnoticed but their 
ruinous effects are there, nevertheless, and will 
sooner or later, if persisted in, bring shame and 
disgrace upon the evil-doer. 

Turn your back, therefore, upon everything 
impure or unclean. Put away all thoughts of 
it. Hate it with all your might. Shun every 
companion who tries to lead you into evil ways 
and turn your eyes from every sight that leads 
into temptation. 

Ask God to forgive the sins of the past and 
to "create a clean heart and renew a right 
spirit" within you. Pray for divine help in the 
hour of temptation, that you may remain faith- 



— 92 — 

ful to the promise you have given. Think only 
of that which is good and beautiful. Kemem- 
ber the all-seeing eye of God from whom noth- 
ing can be hidden. Avoid idleness; it is the 
mother of all wickedness. Have something 
useful to do all the time and do it with all your 
heart. 

Then you will be on the way to pure happi- 
ness and joy and will learn to know and value 
the peace of God which passeth all understand- 
ing. (Phil. iv. 7.) 



-$£- 



— 93 



ftafce Courage! 



From all this you will see that there are 
many temptations that will come to you as you 
take your place in the world. You will have to 
meet them, and the manner in which you do 
meet them will show whether you have received 
Christ and are rooted and builded up in Him- 
You will have to prove by the conduct of your 
life that you really desire to walk in Christ. 

To do this you must have courage. I know 
a great many boys, and girls who would do very 
well if they could always be in good Christian 
company. But left to themselves they are 
afraid that some one might not like it if they 
said or did what they know to be right, possibly 
others might even laugh at them, and so they 
give up a little, and then a little more, until 
they do not even try to do what is right. 

You will find again and again, however, 
that even those who do not agree with you, will 
think more of you if they see you faithful and 
earnest in trying to do your duty. Be sure you 
are right and then go ahead, no matter who or 
how many are against you. With every temp- 



— 94 — 

tation you conquer, your strength will grow, 
so that the next one will always be more easily 
overcome. By and by you will gain experience 
and wisdom, you will become more firmly 
rooted in Christ and builded up in Him, so that 
at last it will become a sort of second nature for 
you to walk in Him also. 



-$£~ 






— 95 — 

"Hbtoe Witb Tils-" 



Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end; 
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my 

Friend! 

1 shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side, 
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my 

Guide. 

let me feel Thee near me! the world is ever near; 

1 see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I 

hear; 
My foes are ever near me, around me and within, 
But, Jesus, draw Thou nearer and shield my soul 

from sin! 

O let me hear Thee speaking in accents clear and 

still, 
Above the storms of passion, the murmurs of 

self-will! 
speak to reassure me, to hasten or control, 
speak and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my 

soul! 

O Jesu. , Thou hast promised to all who follow 

Thee, 
That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy 

servant be; 
And, Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to tne 

end, 
give me grace to follow, my Master and my 

Friend! Ev. Hymnal. 



— 96 — 



Zhe Ibeiping Ibanfc* 



You would never be able to walk in Christ 
by your own efforts alone, however. You need 
help, and your heavenly Father knows no 
greater joy than that of helping His children. 
He knows the weakness of the human heart, 
He knows the powers of Darkness and Evil 
that are in the world, and He alone can help 
you conquer in the battles of life. 

Don't forget Him, therefore. His kind and 
loving eye is always upon you. His strong arm 
is always outstretched to hold and guide you. 
Keep your eye fixed on Him. Keep your hand 
in His. Then your way will always be clear 
and you need never be afraid. 

You may find God in His Word. There He 
is ever present and always ready to speak to 
you, if you will only listen. There you will find 
what you need most in all the different and 
varying situations of your life. There you 
may find comfort and peace in the days of sor- 
row and trouble and help and strength for the 
hour of temptation, while the days of joy and 
gladness become doubly precious if they are 



— 97 — 

blessed and hallowed by the Word of God. 
Read your Bible every day; make a habit of it, 
but not a habit only. Eead it prayerfully. 
Think about what you have read. Commit to 
memory the passages that seem most beautiful 
and take them with you everywhere; they will 
be helpful and cheering in the duties of every- 
day life. 

Eemember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 
Do not forget the place where God's glory 
dwelleth. (Ps. xxvi. 6 — 8.) There you will find 
those who desire to walk with God. Every 
Sabbath you may learn again that you are not 
alone in a world of wickedness and that you 
may remain in touch with those who love right- 
eousness. It will do you good to know this and 
the conciousness of a common cause with many 
church-goers, the songs of praise and prayer 
and the eternal voice of Truth will lift your 
soul beyond the things of this world into the 
pure atmosphere of the living God, so that you 
are strengthened and refreshed for the new 
week's work. 

You need the Sabbath services. For the 
sake of your immortal soul, for the sake of your 
own peace and happiness: don't neglect them. 
The moment you do you are losing hold upon 



— ■ 98 — 

your God, and the more you do so, the more will 
you be at the mercy of the world and its evil 
influences. Everything that tends to keep you 
out of church on the Sabbath is a danger to 
your eternal welfare. Be watchful. Where so 
much is at stake you cannot afford to be neg- 
ligent. The spirit may be willing, but the flesh 
is weak, and you need the help of God and all 
your own strength of will and firmness of pur- 
pose to overcome the temptations in this direc- 
tion. 

I have often noticed that many boys and 
girls rarely, if ever, attend communion again 
after they have done so for the first time. 
Upon inquiring for the reason I have never ob- 
tained a definite answer, partly, I suppose, 
because those* whom I asked did not themselves 
feel sure of the cause, partly, perhaps, because 
they did not feel able to express themselves 
clearly. Vt any rate it is clear that they do not 
feel the importance of the matter nor realize the 
blessings which a faithful use of the Sacrament 
may convey. 

The bread and the wine are the visible signs 
of the body and blood of Christ, they stand for 
His life and death with all the sacred and 



— 99 — 

blessed meaning this implies. By eating the 
bread and drinking the wine you only show in 
the most convincing way possible your sincere 
faith that Christ has by "one sacrifice for sins 
forever' (Heb. x. 12.) taken away also those sins 
which you have just confessed, and such faith 
has the precious promise of forgiveness of sins, 
life and salvation. 

Because we are liable to lose the conscious- 
ness of these priceless blessings by contact with, 
the world and its trials and temptations, it is 
a precious privilege that we are enabled to re- 
assure ourselves of their possession again and 
again. The oftener you attend communion, 
therefore, the stronger in faith you may grow 
and the closer may the bond of union become 
between you and your Savior. 

While I would under no condition urge any 
one to attend communion who does not really 
desire to do so, there must be something wrong 
if you feel no desire to attend within a 
reasonable time, and it will be well to try and 
find out what it is. Don't put it off. The lon- 
ger you do, the less you will care about it. 
Ask your pastor's advice. Tell him all about it. 
Be honest with yourself. Pray for light. Then 
the way will be clear. 
L.ofC. 



— 100 — 

Eemember that your pastor is your true 
friend. He has as great an interest in your 
welfare as any one can have and would like to 
be on the most intimate terms with all of you. 
He is always ready and willing to help you all 
he can. Usually, however, he does not know 
where he can help you unless you tell him. 
Don't go out of his way as so many young 
people do, but give him your confidence. Call 
on him when your way does not appear clear to 
you. Tell him of your doubts, if you have any, 
or of any other difficulties you may have. It 
will do you good to talk about the matter and 
the talk itself is sure to be helpful to both of 
yon. 

Eemain faithful to the Evangelical Church. 
This church is your spiritual mother. Through 
the chuijfeli God speaks to you, through it you 
have been received into His Kingdom, in it 
you have learned to know His truth, by its 
work you may gain everlasting life. Other 
churches have the truth also, each in its own 
peculiar way, but none is quite as good for you 
as your own Evangelical Church. 

By entering another church you will gain 
nothing that your own church cannot offer and 






— 101 — 

you may lose much if not all that it has given 
you. Be faithful in the use of those blessings 
and privileges you may enjoy through your 
church and you will not want anything better. 
He that is faithful in a few things shall be set 
over many things (Matth. xxv. 21) and enter 
into the joy of the Lord. 

And now "Abide thou in the things which 
thou hast learned and hast been assured of/' 
(II. Tim. iii. 14.) then you will receive "the end 
of your faith., even the salvation of your souls." 
(I. Pet. i. 9.) "Be faithful unto death and the 
crown of life will be given you." (Rev. ii. 10.) 






-s~-Hle~*-^- 



— 102 — 

Zhc Eno of Jfaitb. 



Who are these like stars appearing, 
These before God's throne who stand ? 
Each a golden crown is wearing; 
Who are all this glorious band ? 
Hallelujah! hark, they sing, 
Praising loud their heavenly King. 

These are they who have contended 
For their Savior's honor long, 
Wrestling on till life was ended, 
Following not the sinful throng; 
These, who well the fight sustained, 
Triumph through the Lamb have gained. 

Who are these of dazzling brightness, 
These in God's own truth arrayed, 
Clad in robes of purest whiteness, 
Eobes whose lustre ne'er shall fade, 
Ne'er be touched by times rude hand ? 
Whence comes all this glorious band ? 

These are they who watched and waited, 

Offering up to Christ their will; 

Soul and body consecrated, 

Day and night they serve Him still: 

Now in God's most holy place 

Blest they stand before His face. 






— 103 — 

Lo, the Lamb Himself now feeds them 

On Mount Zioir's pastures fair; 

From His central throne He leads them 

By the living fountains there; 

They are crowned with glory's wreath 

Who are faithful unto death. 

Ev. Hymnal 



— 104 — 

Zhc Confirmation Dow* 



I believe in God the Father, the Son and 
the Holy Spirit, and promise by the help of God 
to renounce the sinfulness of the world and 
my own heart, to live according to the teach- 
ings of the Word of God and to remain faithful 
to the Evangelical Church: Amen. 

Ube Confessional* 



Almighty God, my Father through Jesus 
Christ, my Savior and Eedeemer! I humbly 
acknowledge before Thee my many sins and 
transgressions by thought, word and deed by 
which I have deserved Thy wrath and punish- 
ment. I sincerely repent of them all and be- 
seech Thee to be merciful and grant to me 
pardon and forgiveness of sins for the sake of 
Thy Son, my Lord and Savior. There is none 
other comfort or trust than Thy grace which 
aboundeth above my guilt and I pray Thee to 
strengthen me anew with Thy Holy Spirit that 
I may lead a new and better life to Thine honor 
and glory. Amen. 



— 105 — 

prater before Communion* 



I praise Thee, my Lord and Savior. Jesus 
Christ, that Thou hast entered this world of 
sin and sorrow to seek and to save that which 
is lost. From Thine infinite love and mercy 
Thou hast through Thy own blood entered once 
for all into the holy place and obtained eternal 
redemption. Thou hast ordained the sacrament 
of Thy Last Supper as a memorial of Thy 
glorious work of salvation, that the bond of 
union between Thee and the faithful may al- 
ways grow stronger. I praise Thee and glorify 
Thy name for the blessed privilege I enjoy, 
although I must acknowledge myself unworthy- 
of Thy loving kindness. For, Lord, I have 
sinned against Thee again and again. I have 
listened to the voice of the world more than 
unto Thy voice, and, in the blindness of my 
heart and the folly of youth, sinned against 
heaven and in Thy sight so that I am not worthy 
to be called Thy child. Sanctify me, therefore, I 
pray Thee, in body and soul, by Thy Spirit, that 
I may partake worthily of Thy precious gift. 
Fill my heart with true repentance, sincere 
faith and a fervent love, and grant Thy divine 
blessing, as I now desire to strengthen my com- 



— 106 — 

munion with Thee in Thy Holy Sacrament. 
Send me Thy light and truth and let me feel 
Thy j)resence and the peace and joy it brings, 
that I may be more and more consecrated to 
Thee for the time of my earthly pilgrimage 
and at last see Thee face to face in Thy 
heavenly kingdom and dwell with Thee and all 
Thy saints for evermore. Amen. 

jprager after Communion* 



Bless Jehovah, my soul; 

And all that is within me, bless His holy name. 

Bless Jehovah, O my soul, 

And forget not all His benefits: 

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; 

Who healeth all thy diseases; 

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; 

Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and 

tender ' mercies. 
Jehovah is merciful and gracious, 
Slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness. 
He hath not dealt with us after our sins, 
Nor rewarded us after our iniquities. 
As far as the east is from the west, 
So far hath He removed our transgressions 
Like as a father pitieth his children, [from us. 
So Jehovah pitieth them that fear Him. 
Bless Jehovah, all ye His works, 
In all places of His dominion: 
Bless Jehovah, O my soul. 



— 107 — 

I praise Thy holy name, my Lord and 
Savior, that Thou hast strengthened my faith 
and love by Thy holy Sacrament. He] 33 me to 
cherish the remembrance of Thy goodness, that 
it may be a power for good within me. Create 
in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit 
within me and help me to continue steadfastly 
in prayer, that t may not only desire to do Thy 
will, but do it cheerfully and with all my heart. 

Hold me by Thy right hand and guide me 
with Thy counsel and finally receive me into 
Thine everlasting glory. Amen. 

/IDorning prater* 



Heavenly Father, I praise Thy goodness and 
mercy that Thou hast watched over me and 
kept me through the darkness of the night and 
brought me to see the light of another morning. 
I thank Thee for the manifold blessings with 
which Thou hast surrounded me, though I am 
not worthy of Thy love and kindness. Help 
me to appreciate more and more Thy good and 
perfect gifts, that they may bring me nearer to 
Thee. 

I thank Thee especially for the new oppor- 
tunities of the day. Give me grace to perform 



— 108 — 

my duties and occupations faithfully, remem- 
bering that Thou seest and knowest all things. 
Help me to realize that each day 'brings me 
nearer to the day of Thy just judgment, when 
Thou wilt ask an accounting of what each one 
has done, whether it be good or bad. 

Be Thou with me wherever I go and guide 
me in Thy ways. Help me to conquer the 
temptations that beset my pathway and give me 
strength to walk with Thee. Be Thou also near 
unto all Thy children, especially to those who 
are dear unto me. Let them feel the peace and 
comfort of Thy presence and make us all more 
and more one with Thee. 

Accept, I pray Thee, this tribute of my 
. devotion and hear me in Thy great mercy. I 
ask it in Jesus' name. Amen. 



JE\>eninG prater* 



O gracious God and Father, I come to Thee 
again with praise and thanksgiving. Thou hast 
been with me this day and guided me to its 
close in safety and peace, and I thank Thee for 
all Thy goodness and mercy. Forgive all my 
sins and help me to avoid all that is not pleas- 



— 109 — 

ing in Thy sight, that I may grow in the grace 
and knowledge of my Lord and Savior. 

Be with me through the night that is com- 
ing on. Let me rest in peace under Thy protec- 
tion and care, Thou, who dost neither sleep nor 
slumber. Wilt Thou also extend Thy fatherly 
care to all my dear ones; keep them from harm 
and danger, and let goodness and mercy follow 
them. 

Be Thou near unto all Thy children, espe- 
cially those who are in affliction and sorrow, or 
in trouble of any kind. Let them feel Thy pre- 
sence and realize Thy love, even though their 
way is dark, and deliver them according to Thy 
promise. And Thine Lord, shall be the ■ 
power and the glory from everlasting to ever- 
lasting. Amen. 



©race before /IDeals* 



"The eyes of all wait for Thee, Lord, and 
Thou givest them their food in due season; 
Thou openest Thy hand and satisfiest the 
desires of every living thing." Amen. 

(Ps. cxlv. 15.) 



— 110 — 

We thank Thee, our heavenly Father, for 
Thy gifts which Thou hast set before us, and 
we pray Thee to make us cheerful and con- 
tented in their enjoyment. Amen. 



come, our Lord and Savior, 
And be our guest to-day, 
That each may have a blessing 
From Thee to take away. Amen. 

©race after /iDeals* 



"Give thanks unto the Lord and bless His 
name, for He is good and His loving kindness 
endureth forever." Amen. (Ps. c. 5.) 



We thank Thee, our Lord and Father, that 
Thou hast satisfied our desires out of Thy 
eternal goodness, and pray Thee to help us 
live a life of gratitude and service to Thee. 
Amen. 

Hear our thanks and praises 

For Thy blessings, Lord; 

Help us always cherish 

The Bread of life, Thy Word. Amen. 



— Ill — 
H praper in Sickness or Suffering* 



Almighty God, my heavenly Father! Ac- 
cording to Thy promise: "Call upon me in 
the day of trouble : I will deliver thee and thou 
shalt glorify me," I call upon Thee in this my 
hour of distress and suffering, and pray Thee 
that Thou wouldst not forsake me. Thy will 
be done. Give me patience to bear the pains 
of the body without murmuring. Having re- 
ceived good things at Thy hands, I will accept 
the clays of suffering likewise. I know Thou 
art loving and gracious and wilt impose no 
greater burden than I can bear. 

If this illness is not unto death, then, 
Lord, help me to regain my health and well- 
being according to Thy will and purpose, and 
let me praise the wonders of Thy power and 
loving kindness that I may live in fear of Thee 
and be an instrument of Thy honor and glory. 

Should it, however, please Thee in Thy un- 
searchable wisdom to call me away from this 
world, then also, my God and Father, Thy will 
be done. Forgive all my sins for Jesus' sake 
and prepare me for death and eternity, that I 
may enter Thy heavenly mansions, where 
earthly pain and sorrow is succeeded by sur- 
passing heavenly glory. 



— 112 — 

My God, here I am, do as Thou wilt; let 
me fully understand Thy counsel. Let this 
illness be as a fire to take away the impurities 
of my life, as a call to patience and endurance, 
and as a test of my faith and love. "Why art 
thou cast down, my soul? and why art thou 
so disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God, for 
I shall yet praise Him for the help of His 
countenance." 

"Jesus, lover of my soul, 
Let me to Thy bosom fly, 
While the billows near me roll, 
While the tempest still is high; 
Hide me, my Savior, hide, 
Till the storm of life is past; 
Safe into the haven guide, 
receive my soul at last." Amen. 




MIAR 27 1903 






LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



mi 

021 897 459 4 



